MODERN IN THE MAKING EXHIBITION CATALOGUE

Greetings again art appreciators

In case you missed it my last post was with regard to a very comprehensive view of mid-century craft and design from this region assembled to date exhibiting post war modernism in art that is currently running at the Vancouver Art Gallery in BC Canada. 

I had been expecting the catalogue of this special showcase and when it arrived and I opened the pages I was very impressed with the quality and standards and the immense amount of person-power and information-gathering that it took to pull this beautiful catalogue together for this extraordinary exhibition, not to mention the curation of all the works that represent an exceptional part of our art history. 

I’m bathed in pride by my Uncle’s part in all of this and the fact his work and recognition is part of this noteworthy, post war, art movement… this comprehensive book, I feel, is a valuable chronicle cataloguing this historical era and event. 

Then moves on to explore ceramics, furniture, textile and clothing design, jewelry and art objects... (NOTE: be sure to click on the photo images to see full size. For some reason they are cropped as you see them here and aren't showing fully. Below the enlarged image you'll see the other photos in thumbnails. Click on any for better and enlarged viewing as well).

If you are interested in acquiring a copy, here is the link for ordering.

The Gallery Store offers contemporary art books, posters, paper goods, jewellery and designer giftware, including a broad range of Emily Carr merchandise. 

And here is a 29 second video as a speed-look at the gallery exhibit. I hope you can stop by the Gallery if you live near it or opt to own the catalogue...Onward...and thanks for stopping by my blog.

Modern in the Making surveys the multifaceted histories of postwar craft and design in British Columbia from an interdisciplinary perspective. Presenting the work of more than 125 artists, it is the first volume to document the evolution of modern ceramics, weaving, furniture design, fashion and jewellery produced between 1945 and 1975 in the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, the Okanagan and beyond. Featuring an introduction by co-curator Daina Augaitis, an in-depth historical overview by collector and co-curator Allan Collier that maps a trajectory of design practice in the region, two commissioned essays by noted scholars Michelle McGeough and Michael J. Prokopow, and artist biographies, this heavily illustrated publication is the first to address this history in a comprehensive manner.

Modern in the Making: Post-War Craft and Design in British Columbia was published in conjunction with the exhibition organized by the Vancouver Art Gallery, curated by Daina Augaitis, Interim Director; Allan Collier, Guest Curator; and Stephanie Rebick, Associate Curator; and presented from July 18, 2020, to January 3, 2021.

 

Edited by Stephanie Rebick
Forward and Introduction by Daina Augaitis
Essays by Michelle McGeough, Michael J. Prokopow, Allan Collier, Jenn Jackson, and Stephanie Rebick

254 pages
7.75 x 10.75 inches
229 colour and black and white illustrations
ISBN 9781927656518
Softcover
Vancouver Art Gallery and Figure1 Publishing
2020

MODERN IN THE MAKING: POST-WAR CRAFT AND DESIGN IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

Hello dear friends, family, curious art seekers,

  and those of you who continue to visit here...

This is a time for me to brag a bit due to the fact I have great love, 

pride and admiration for my uncle Peter Cotton's 

architectural and furniture design from the post WWII 1940s to the time of his death in the late 1970s. Over the years I learned so much from him. We were similar in a lot of ways, artistically and our interest in mid-century-modern architecture, which I gleaned from him (having grown up in such a house which he helped us find when our family bought a brand new home in the early 50s in Bellevue in the Surrey Downs subdivision in it's early phase designed by the architectural firm, Mithun & Neslund. (If curiosity lures you, you can view our house, quite different as it is today, via Zillow Realty, totally remodeled in and out with the addition of a 2nd bathroom off the master). 

While growing up and into my adulthood, we spent many fun family times together, usually at the Bellevue Arts & Crafts Fair each summer at the old Bellevue Square (nothing at all like the mall and fair are today) and during visits to Ocean Park and Victoria, B.C.. When he left this planet, way too young, it was a huge loss in many ways.

So by now you may be wondering why I'm crowing about my dear uncle. His wonderful and simple modern furniture design-work is part of an exhibit currently at the Vancouver Art Gallery through January 3, 2021. If you live in British Columbia you would be greatly enriched to see this exhibit, Modern in the Making: Post-War Craft and Design in British Columbia with over 300 pieces of modern design objects. You can read more details in the  information below. I have added additional photos of his work, background info and an article from the UBC Alumni Chronicle featuring Peter and his furniture from 1952. 

The photos below, 2 though 6, are of the displays and pieces featured at the Vancouver Art Gallery exhibit. 

I hope you enjoy this post as much as I have creating it in honor of my uncle, my mother's brother, Peter Neve Cotton.   

Side note: Blogger has changed formats and as a result users, including myself, are having a lot of difficulty navigating within it while creating and editing posts...so for best viewing of each photo in their full dimensions, (as you can see they're cut-off as if cropped) click on any image to enlarge it. Below the enlarged image you'll see the other photos in thumbnails. Click on any for better and enlarged viewing as well.  

Thanks for visiting lindajarvis.blogspot.com

Enjoy.

MODERN IN THE MAKING: POST-WAR CRAFT AND DESIGN IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

Featuring over 300 works, Modern in the Making: Post-War Craft and Design in British Columbia examines the furniture, ceramics, textiles, fashion and jewellery that defined West Coast modern living in the mid-twentieth century. In the three decades following the Second World War, thousands of people immigrated to British Columbia seeking the benefits of its resource-based economy, mild climate, natural amenities and inventive spirit. This optimistic post-war environment fostered the development of exceptional design and craft practices, deeply influenced by the tenets of modernism: simplicity, fine craftsmanship and functional design for everyday use. The most comprehensive view of mid-century craft and design from this region assembled to date, the exhibition reveals how local histories, immigration patterns and materials impacted interpretations of modernism in British Columbia, while also recognizing this cultural movement’s inherent ties to colonial expansion.

ARTISTS

Barbara Baanders / Hans-Christian Behm / Niels Bendtsen / Idar Bergseth / Paul Binkert / B.C. Binning / Alice Bradbury / Elaine Bully / Cyril G. Burch Ltd. / Robin Bush / Sharon Butler / Robert Calvert / Mollie Carter / Toni Cavelti / Mary Chang / Madeleine Chisholm / Jean Clarke / Stan Clarke / Betty Clazie / John Clazie / Columbia Furniture / 

Peter Cotton / Crane Furniture Ltd. / Doug Cranmer / Judith Cranmer / Crown Ceramics / Florence Daniels / Robert Davidson / Olea Davis / Walter Dexter / Reginald Dixon / Axel Ebring / Vee Elder / Gathie Falk / Lynda (Powell) Gammon / Hilde Gerson / Herta Gerz / Sophie Locke Gibson / Penny Gouldstone / Helga Grove / Jan Grove / Kathleen Hamilton / Marjory Hamilton / Hammond Furniture / Frances Hatfield / Francisca Hayman / Michael Henry / Mano Herendy / Marjorie Hill / Gillian Hodge / Fred Hollingsworth / Phyllis Hollingsworth / Hollywood Furniture Manufacturing / Honey Hooser / Henry Hunt / Avery Huyghe / Tam Irving / Island Weavers / Nellie Jacobson / Charmian Johnson / Thomas Kakinuma / Zoltan Kiss / Helmut Krutz / Ann Kujundzic / Zeljko Kujundzic / Heinz Laffin / David Lambert / Edwin Larden / Glenn Lewis / Desmond Loan / Adeline Lorenzetto / Janet MacLeod / A.P. Madsen Ltd / Sasha Makovkin / Rex Mason / Ruth Mathers / Heather Maxey / Rodney Maxwell-Muir / Marian McCrea McClain / Duncan S. McNab / Ruth Meechan / Santo Mignosa / Earle A. Morrison / Mouldcraft Plywoods / Ellen Neel / Zonda Nellis / Anne Ngan / Wayne Ngan / Leonard Osborne / Pacific Veneer / Mary Peters / Dexter Pettigrew / Setsuko Piroche / Vera Ramsay / Ravine Pottery / John Reeve / Bill Reid / Rose Marie Reid / Cliff Robinson / Hilda Ross / Evelyn Roth / Carole Sabiston / J. Scali Woodworking / Adolph Schwenk / Louise Schwenk / Doris Shadbolt / Marion Smith / Spider Loom Ties / Ethel Squier / Joanna Staniszkis / Alfred Staples / Ian Steele / Gordon Stewart / Karl Stittgen / Strahan and Sturhan / Ron Thom / Willy Van Yperen / Julia “Madame” Visgak / Jean Marie Weakland / Robert Weghsteen / Gertrude Weir / Lore Maria Wiener / Martha Wiens / Monica Williams / Chuck Yip

Earle A. Morrison and Robin Bush for Earle A. Morrison Ltd., 

Lounge Chair

Collection of Allan Collier  

 

This is a photo from the VAG exhibit of my uncle's furniture...

Peter Cotton, 

Arm Chair

Table and lamp are owned by one of my cousins, Chris Small. 

Three chairs are in the collection of Allan Collier who was part of organizing and curating the exhibition.

Peter Cotton,

Four of the same five pieces shown in previous photo 

Peter Cotton, 

Green Sideboard 

Owned by the Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG)

Peter Cotton with Alfred Staples,

Arm chair 

Collection of Allan Collier

Peter Cotton, 

Side table or stool with reversible top of wood as table or 

stool seat with needle point.

Collection of Allan Collier

Peter Cotton, 

3 Legged lamp - zig-zag cord

Peter Cotton, 

Chair    

Here's a few more dit-bits of interesting information about Peter’s life and career. It may or may not be of interest to you, but I wanted to include it for those who'd like to learn more or for those who know him and may not be aware of some of the following background. There is much more to glean on this site that I am not even clued into. I will have to do further research into what it all means and how to access it. If anyone is curious they can see more here.

MS-1336
Peter Neve Cotton
Originals 1918–1978 5.5 m

Peter Neve Cotton was one of Victoria's most distinguished architects. He designed many contemporary homes and business complexes, but was best known for his restoration and heritage architecture. Among the buildings he restored were Craigflower Manor, Craigflower School House, Emily Carr House, Point Ellice House, and St. Andrew's Roman Catholic Cathedral. He also refurbished the old post office in Duncan (now Duncan City Hall).

Cotton was born in Merritt, B.C. on 12 March 1918. He spent his boyhood in New Westminster and attended local schools. He worked in the design departments of several large retail stores in Vancouver and in 1939 enlisted in the Canadian Army. He went overseas with the Seaforth Highlanders, then transferred to the British Army Intelligence Branch. He served with distinction in Egypt and Italy and was discharged with the rank of captain.

At the end of the war, Cotton enrolled at the University of British Columbia (UBC). He graduated with a degree in architecture and was instrumental in the founding of UBC's faculty of architecture. He afterwards studied design at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and art history at the University of Victoria. A keen historian, Cotton also devoted considerable time to independent research at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Provincial Archives of British Columbia, and various American institutes and academies.

Prior to settling in Victoria in the late 1950's, Cotton and fellow architect, Alfred Staples, designed and manufactured furniture in Vancouver. Their modernistic pieces were marketed under the name "Perpetua." Cotton then joined the architectural staff of the provincial Department of Public Works and was involved with the rebuilding of Government House - an experience which sparked his interest in historical architecture. That interest was expressed not only in his heritage building projects, but also in his manuscript history of B.C.’s vice-regal mansions.

In 1961 Cotton set up his own architectural practice, one of which he subsequently conducted from his own heritage home on Admiral's Road, Esquimalt. His practice grew substantially in the late 1960's, as public interest in historic buildings increased. Cotton's practice and reputation increased further in the 1970s, despite the fact that Cotton suffered from a circulatory disease. The disease cost him his right leg, which was amputated in 1977. The disease also contributed to his death on 31 December 1978.

The collection chronicles the whole of Cotton's life and reflects his many interests and activities. Records include: diaries, daybooks, school report cards, undergraduate papers, and personal correspondence inward plus letters written by Cotton while serving with Canadian Army overseas, 1940-1945, financial records, business correspondence, and project files relating to Cotton's work as architect and interior designer, along with notes, reports letters, and sketches relating to heritage buildings in British Columbia (primarily in Victoria).

Architectural drawings transferred to Map accession, CM/C2008. An on-line finding aid for CM/C2008 is available by searching the WWW pages index on the BC Archives Website. Photographs transferred to Visual Records accessions 198208-64, 198303-40, 198308-7, and 198410-14. Accession 198208-64, contains items transferred from 197812-16 related to Peter Cotton, and includes ca. 105 prints of unidentified people and members of the Cotton and Neve families. A box list for accession 198303-40 is available at the end of this finding aid. Accession 198308-7 contains 124 prints and 123 negatives of Peter Cotton, friends, and family members. Accession 198410-14 contains 300 black and white Cotton family photographs, ca. 1890-1969. Paintings, drawings, and prints have been assigned Visual Records item numbers PDP05433 to PDP05470 and PDP02183. These items include: designs, drawings and watercolours, and an ink and wash on paper portrait of Cotton in uniform. Additional information about Cotton, Christmas card designs and a Perpetua furniture catalogue is available in the BC Archives artist file. Samples of wall coverings and curtain material (used in the restoration of Craigflower Manor) have been transferred to the Heritage Conservation Branch, while architectural magazines and technical journals have been donated to UBC's School of Architecture.

Related records: see MS-0351 which contains rough drafts, notecards, galleys, etc., of Cotton's unpublished history of Government House entitled "From the Ashes" and photograph accession 198207-44, Craigflower Manor restoration. The publication Craigflower Manor: Volume 1, The Structure, The rationale of decisions made during the restoration of the manor in 1968, Peter Cotton, architect in charge is located in Old Manuscripts, call number G/V66/C82. Additional photographs and colour transparencies of historic architecture in Victoria may be found in the Cotton collection of the Maltwood Gallery at the University of Victoria.

The Peter Neve Cotton collection was donated to the Provincial Archives of British Columbia (PABC) by his sisters, Mrs. Mary Small of Salt Spring Island, B.C. and Mrs. Patricia Jarvis of Bellevue, Washington.

MS-1336 Peter Cotton papers 1924-1979 G:\RSD\@ORCS09\13050.20\MS-1336.DOC:2000/03/22 Page 1

Here are some other wonderful exhibits at the Vancouver Art Museum:

LINEAGES AND LAND BASES

FEBRUARY 22-AUGUST 30, 2020 

LEARN MORE

RAPTURE, RHYTHM AND THE TREE OF LIFE: EMILY CARR AND HER FEMALE CONTEMPORARIES LIneages and land bases

DECEMBER 7, 2019-DECEMBER 13, 2020 

LEARN MORE

WINTER DOLDRUMS

Haven't been very active in my studio this winter...not very inspired and a bit distracted, dismayed and saddened by what is happening to our country and as a result affecting our foreign relationships around the world and the direction of the political system. However, I will stay optimistic and do all I can to bring our country back to some sense of sanity and support and vote for those I know will keep democracy alive.

But let's leave that subject behind so as to have a brighter outlook. My studio has calling for my attention, for sure, despite my ignoring said calls. It is in much need of clearing-out and freshening-up, thus creating a clean slate to start anew. I am overwhelmed by the prospect of the purge, but will gain more energy for climbing out of hibernation and digging-in as our days get longer with more hours of light...ah, the light...we need that light.

Thanks for sticking with me despite the lack of posts. Keep checking is as I may just surprise you...and thanks for your patience and persistence in pursuing these pages...your attention and support are much appreciated.

Here is a close-up detail of a piece I did a number of years ago... 
BY THE LIGHT OF THE SILVERY MOON -  seems appropriate for the moment.

 

PAPER: TEXTURE AND FORM

Hello? Anyone still out there?
My apologies for being absent...sometimes life, full of facets, pulls us in other directions...
However, here I am to share more of my creative nature...better late than not at all.

Bainbridge Arts & Crafts Gallery is under the guidance of a new director, Steve Tremble, and appears to be moving toward exciting higher visions. They previously went through some rebranding with identity and name changes and the like which resulted in a lot of various pains, but ultimately they've come back to their home-ground and have returned to who they were since they were founded in 1948 and grew from, Bainbridge Arts & Crafts Gallery.

Thier recent October 2019 invitational group show, PAPER: TEXTURE AND FORM, in which I participated, was focused on the versatile applications of paper. Here is the description from the BAC website...
PAPER: TEXTURE AND FORM - The beauty of paper is in the range of possibilities it invites and diversity of work it generates. This is reflected in this exhibition of 17 exceptional artists: Mary Ashton, Danielle Bodine, Jeff Brice, Heather Griffin, Victoria Foster Harrison, Lois James, Linda Jarvis, Tracy Lang, MJ Linford, Linda McClamrock, Nikki McClure, Dorothy McGuinness, Shane Miller, Debbie Peek, Jean-Marie Tarascio, Sande Wascher-James, and Helga Winter.

Artists were asked to write an Artist Statement for this show. This is mine :
I have worked with many natural materials, paper being one of them.  So having been presented with the invitation to participate in the Paper Show, it naturally felt inherent…Paper is a very fascinating material that can be manufactured or created in your kitchen or studio. Handcrafted papers from the pulp of wood or other fibrous materials carry a wonderful quality that can easily be individualized with play and experimentation. Paper’s versatility ranges from being used for drawing, printing,  writing, or for wrapping as well as other artistic and imaginative applications. It is one of my favored media.

The one paper I am most taken by is that of the paper which paper-wasps artistically create displaying color, patterns and fantastic designs born of various wood fibers they collect for building a nest. Intriguingly I have collected many abandoned wasp shelters over the years for use and examination. Undoubtedly, they are superb works of art in and of themselves. Using my inborn intrigue with this amazing raw element of natural material I created INGENIOUS ARCHITECTURE. Envelopment by the artfully crafted fibers creates a residence, a home, a dwelling. 

Nature is miraculous and never ceases to amaze me and keep me in awe. Paper is of nature as are we all.

Linda Jarvis


Much of my work has utilized paper. I've only dabbled in paper-making, but I've collected a various array of art papers, some of which are hard to part with.

This first piece is one that gave me much pleasure and intrigue into the beautiful paper that the industrial paper-wasps make for building their dwellings.

INGENIOUS ARCHITECTURE 
I started with a wonderfully weathered 4 X 4 block of wood I fashioned into a house shape, handcrafted paper for the roof, paper-wasp paper on the surface of the wood, beads for feet and a twig representing where the wasps build their homes. It was my commentary for bringing awareness of our natural world that is being blanketed by human-kind conduct and actions putting our environment, wildlife and various pollinators in jeopardy, thus being smothered, by our ways and negligence.

 This was the beginnings of this piece...applying selected the paper from a wasp nest.

 This image and the one below are close-up shots to show the beauty and intricacy of the wasp paper.

This image is of the finished piece, INGENIOUS ARCHITECTURE.

NATURE'S SHRINE 
All my work consists of mixed media. This piece started with a house shape I created from foam-core board with an inset then covered with art paper, 2 bi-fold cardboard pieces for the roof, square brass tube, flat disc beads, poppy pods, brass tacks, sticks, scrabble tiles for feet. In the inset niche I placed the beautiful seed pods of Genus Lunaria, aka Money Plant or Honesty branches. It progressed into my statement with regard to our protecting what is left of our natural world and wilderness'. 

 In studio completing the assembling, placing the seed pod branches within the niche of Nature's Shrine.

Finished piece...NATURE'S SHRINE

PAINTING THE NIGHT SKY WITH NEW CONSTELLATIONS
I enjoyed playing with the markings or from my perspective, "constellations" on the tissue-paper pattern used for sewing. It is covering foam-core board that I constructed into a house shape, aluminum sheeting for the roof, aluminum foil covered make-up brush, street-sweeper metal brush bristles, tacks, mica for the windows and beads. I am in awe of our continued discoveries of our cosmos and galaxies and stars and planets...oh my!

Last, but certainly not least is RED ALERT! 

This is the beginning of RED ALERT! assembling as I go...As I moved along with it's evolution, it eventually spoke it's message to me progressing into an alarm to the loss of our birds and other wild beings...how the practices and behaviors of the human-kind have been diminishing their populations.

Many materials went into bringing this piece to completion...I painted a wooden egg red, added some dead lichen to a twig nest for it to rest in, all then set on a couple of paper discs from fireworks remnants, added feathers, a pastry icing cone, chipboard cone, aged paper-blind paper, wall-paper covered chipboard box, painted handcrafted paper covered chipboard nut container, more feathers set in aluminum tarp rivets, red/black boot lace metal canister top and map pins..

Finished piece, RED ALERT!

The show itself was beautiful and diversified. The opening was well attended, numerous sales, and many questions asked of the artists regarding their work and processes.

Thank you for revisiting this site. I hope I have not discouraged anyone from continuing to visit despite my sometimes being absent with new content...

Remember to click on any image to enlarge it to see more visual detail.

THE ALLURE OF MY MUSE

I have not been working in my studio for a long stretch of time now except to water plants and tidy up a bit, as evident from the lack of posts showcasing new work. Meanwhile, I've been asking for some motivation and have had some quiet visitations by my muse in recent days. With that there have been some ideas swirling around in my head born from a culmination of various artists inspirations that have spurred me on. I am presently waiting for more creative influence to stir my imagination and to get my hands on materials to move me forward. I sure have needed a catalyst and some stimulus so it's good to be back in touch with that part of my being. It feels good to have this encouragement and the welcoming pull from my studio to be and dwell there a while. 

Stay tuned...and hopefully it will be worth your return visit.

Thanks again for your interest.

PRECIOUS & CORVUS ENVY

Thanks to those of you who faithfully keep coming back to check in on what's new...I have been resting my muse for some time now so there isn't much of late to share other than images of pieces from my most recent show...read on

Firstly, I hope this isn't too redundant from my post about the opening night of this show...here I go nevertheless.

I created this piece, entitled PRECIOUS, for the show, CONSIDERING CORVIDAE, that I was part of back in October of last year for Bainbridge Arts and Crafts Gallery, which was closed for two months earlier this year for remodeling and renovation. It is now referred to as The Art Project. Visit their website to see what's new.

I hope this photo captured the essence of PRECIOUS. It was the second piece I created for this show...the first being CORVUS ENVY, posted in the promo announcement previously posted.

As many of us know, the Corvidae family very much like to collect objects, especially those that shine and reflect light and it was my intention that this piece convey that characteristic of this amazing family of intelligent birds.

Both of these pieces found homes pretty straight away, which I am happy about though sadly I didn't get to be acquainted with them for very long...only the connection I made during the creating of them.

PRECIOUS measures 10 X 11.25 X 1.25 and was created in mixed media using acrylic paints and India ink and various found objects.

As you may recall, if you come visit to these pages regularly, this piece below, CORVUS ENVY, was the piece I used in the announcement for the CONSIDERING CORVIDAE show at Bainbridge Arts and Crafts Gallery, that I mentioned above is now The Art Project.

CORVUS ENVY is a mixed media creation and measures 10 X 10 X 1.75
For more detail information on this piece check out the previous posts.

                                                         
Be sure to click on the photo to see a larger image.

Thanks for your interest, patience and continued support...

CONSIDERING CORVIDAE OPENING NIGHT

I was so delighted to be a part of this show, honoring the existence of the Crovidae family which is wide in it's variety of birds and covers so much range of our beautiful planet.  

I was unable to attend the opening to the CONSIDERING CORVIDAE exhibit at Bainbridge Arts & Crafts Gallery so I missed the pleasure of visiting with the other artists and attending gallery patrons. The upside is, through various correspondence with me, one of my collectors expressed she had interest in the piece I used in my show announcement (see previous post).  On Thursday morning I delivered my 4 pieces and shared with the staff about the interest in the piece and asked if the gallery would hold it till she could come over from Seattle to see it in person Friday afternoon. Graciously all the stars aligned as she was able to get there moments prior to the opening. It all turned out well for everyone as it seems the piece spoke to her and she is now the new guardian of CORVUS ENVY, pictured below. Thank you so much C.A.

CORVUS ENVY

PRECIOUS
  

PRECIOUS suggests this mischievous act when light reflected on these treasured items enhances the culprits chances of further irresistible appropriations. The title also comes from the perspective that the diversity of our natural world is precious, special and is of great importance to protect. Photo was taken prior to framing.

DREAMS OF FLIGHT

DREAMS OF FLIGHT - Again as I mentioned with the PRECIOUS piece, I often wish I had the ability to fly like our world of birds do, so since I haven't yet mastered that quality I created this piece, DREAMS OF FLIGHT, with that notion in mind. 

IDENTITY THEFT

IDENTITY THEFT - Stellar Jays love to vocally mimic other birds and are quite talented at it. In this piece a Jay is steeling the visual identity of a Raven assuming it may give it more muscle or authority and maybe even tone down the rather unsavory conduct and silence piercing calls it seems so proud to demonstrate. 

I revel in watching these savvy feathered friends with their intrigue and humorous behavior. I am also entranced by their remarkable intelligence and impressed with their genius and mastery of tasks.  This particular species of birds is one of my favored subjects in my work. One of my best-loved sounds of nature is when I am out in my woods and I hear the whu-whu-whu of a raven pushing air against it's wings, breaking the silence the moment it passes over me...what a gift!

In most, if not all, my 3 dimensional pieces, the achievement of depth is my goal. Cutting out my painted illustrations, positioning and extending them  through the matt opening and over the matt, thus overlapping them, brings the subjects a bit closer to the viewer to create curiosity and pique interest…I want the animal or person to come out of the space, off the background surface so as to appear more alive rather than exist on one plane.

Thanks so much to all of you for coming back to view more of my work and read my musings. Your interest is very much appreciated.

Stay tuned to see what may come out of the imagination next.

Also, be sure to click on each image to see it in a larger format.

CONSIDERING CORVIDAE

Hello dear friends and onlookers...I hope all of you who stop by this site to view my blogging entries haven't given up on me. Again, it is hard to believe so much time has passed by since my last post. Life seems so full and so much to do and accomplish. But, here I am posting the announcement of my very soon, upcoming show with a flock, or rather, a murder of artists. I designed this announcement for self-promotion in a program called theprintshop. If you are not familiar with it, it is a very creative program...you can review it here.

It may seem odd, but just to entice you a little bit, I posted the announcement below in it's original size format thus all of it will not be showing... So be sure to click on the image to reveal the full page...the full monty! 

If you are on Bainbridge Island during the month of October and you have time, stop by the Bainbridge Island Arts & Crafts Gallery in Winslow. You will be so glad you did.  They represent numerous talents from around the Pacific Northwest. The CONSIDERING CORVIDAE exhibit will run through the 29th.

While in town, if you have not been there already, another definite must-see, go-to destination in Winslow, is BIMA, the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art...we are so very lucky to have such a beautiful museum for the visual arts and as well as other expressions of art. Thank you Cynthia!

Thank you, again, for all your support and frequent visits and not giving up on me. I am grateful to all of my audience and appreciate your interest in my work.

Stay tuned for more about the pieces I have in this show...

Remember to click on the announcement to see it in a full page.

Thanks!