The Art Blog

In the lobby of the Henry Art Gallery sits an inflatable plastic pool filled with water that’s being circulated by an electric pump. Floating on the water’s surface are dozens of porcelain bowls in varying sizes. As the bowls are caught up in the swirling current generated by the pump, they gently collide into one another creating random chimes as they clank their way around the pool. The effect is like being in a Tibetan monastery during some kind of sacred bell ritual. This temporary yet ingenious installation is the work of French sound artist, Céleste Boursier- Mougenot. If you hurry you can still experience this for yourself. The pool will be on display until September 26th and you can find more information at henryart.org . Below is a video clip of a similar installation created in 2009. Another big stand out for me from this month's gallery walk is the John Grade installation at Davidson Galleries . He first caught my attention at a Bumbershoot exhibition a few years ag...

August Arts:If you have an  opportunity I recommend stopping by the TK arts building and walking through the warren of art studios there. One that stands out this month is the Shift Studio where you’ll find the quiet yet compelling ceramic work of Yun Hong Chang as part of a two-person exhibition with photographer, Kim Sciarrone. Using strands of her own hair, Chang weaves delicate crisscrossing webs and hand stitched seams onto her slumping ceramic vessels and forms. (see detail above) While we’re on the subject of ceramics… the continuing show at Pacini Lubel features an eclectic and compelling group of ceramic artists and sculptors. The ethereal and narrative work of Debra Fritts always catches my eye. I like how she incorporates gauzy materials into her ceramic works. Her figurative pieces look as though they are waiting to share some tragic and beautiful story. A few works by Adelaide Paul are also on display at Pacini Lubel. Her sculptural pieces are a  ...

A sampling of summer jade...  Jade Thicket Detail Jade Thicket on display this month at the Gilman Jadite Streams detail 1 Jadite Streams detail 2 Jadite Streams   - Triptych - 24" x 64"

Opening Night - July 2, 2010 Just returned from ten magical days in Sun Valley and the opening of my Forces of Nature show. Opening night was a huge success complete with celebrity sightings and some possible commissions in the works. My gratitude goes out to all my dear friends and family for making this such a special and memorable evening. A heartfelt thank you also goes out to L'Anne and Casey of the Gilman Contemporary for providing such a beautiful gallery and the opportunity to exhibit my work in such a stunning space. I am still processing the many wonderful moments and will post more details later. Gallery Installation - Gilman Contemporary Gallery owner, L'Anne Gilman and gallery director, Casey Hanrahan (that's me in the middle) East gallery wall installation. Jadeite Streams - I'll post some detail images of this piece later. Me standing in front of Carnelian Vista. West gallery installation view....

If you ventured into one of my landscapes this is what you might come back with: An exotic botanical specimen to study, catalogue, and press between delicate sheets of wax paper. This is how I imagined it anyway as I created a few of these mythical plant forms for the Forces of Nature show. Below are more new images and the large triptych landscape mentioned in my last entry. I will share some additional photos of the exhibition once the show gets installed next week. The first image above is Botanical I - 24” x 24”. Below in descending order: Elements - 36” x 48”, Lapis Vista - 20 x 24 and Carnelian Vista I, II and III shown as a triptych. You may need to click on the image for a full view. Elements - Encaustic - 36" x  48"   Lapis Vista I - Encaustic - 24" x  20" Carnelian Vista I, II & III - 36" x 120"

Here’s a little preview of a few paintings that will be in my upcoming show. This body of new work has been inspired by my memories of living in the Idaho mountains. These last few months have been one long painting marathon but I always break new ground and make good discoveries when I work this intensely before a an exhibition. And now the count down is on and my Forces of Nature show opens in a couple of weeks at the Gilman Contemporary in Sun Valley. The image above is titled River Bank III and below is a detail from a piece titled, Elements. The red landscape is Carnelian Vista 1, the first of three panels that make up a 3’x 10’ triptych that I will feature more of in my next post. Detail from Elements, 36 x 48 encaustic 2010 Carnelian Vista I - 36 x 36 - Panel 1 of 3

Creative chaos. That’s what my studio feels like at this moment. I am painting like a whirling dervish to finalize all the work that will be part of my next solo exhibition. A large portion of it will feature oversized works like this 3’ x 10’ triptych that I am finishing up today. I am also including a 6’ x 6’ piece that’s comprised of nine panels. I’ll start posting more art images as I wrap up in the studio. The show, Forces of Nature, opens at the Gilman Contemporary in Sun Valley, Idaho July 2 - Aug 1, 2010. Large 3' x10' triptych in progress. Gem Vista 2010 Botanical diptych 2010 Gem Vista Detail 2010