Wednesday, March 21, 2018 at 12:46PM Reminiscing through old photos - here are some fond memories of art placements at Tucson's Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain: Brian Benchek, glass installation; Tim Harding, cut silk; Cassandria Blackmore, reverse-painted glass.
Monday, January 29, 2018 at 6:52AM I had the pleasure of curating an exhibition of contemporary fiber at Peters Valley Gallery in 2016, and focused the show on fiber techniques using non-traditional materials such as zippers, metal measuring tape, zip ties, bottle caps, phone wire and fishing line. You can view the catalog here.
Artists include Emily Dvorin, John Garrett, Sandra Jane Heard, Jan Hopkins, Brian Jewett, Tari Kerss, Nancy Koenigsberg, Gyongy Laky, Elizabeth Morisette and Karyl Sisson.
Sunday, January 7, 2018 at 11:58AM Late 2016 saw a stunning installation of Jean Larson's paintings, drawings and photographs at the Dennos Museum in Traverse City, Michigan. This was the first major presentation of Larson's new body of work based on her time in Iceland, where she's established a studio. It included a large-scale mural directly on the museum's wall, and photoencaustic works whose surfaces echo the textures of Larson's inspiration. Link to exhibition images
Permanence & Impermanence: Iceland - A Land of Temporal Contrasts
Certain places inspire us to look at time in different ways. Some can highlight the impermanence of all things, while others seem to evoke a sense of eternity. Iceland is one of those places. However, in this case the balance seems to be constantly shifting between expressions of permanence and impermanence: a mere new-born in geological terms, yet it is a land of timeless landscapes; barely millennial as a society, yet with institutions that have survives longer than anywhere else.
Since discovering this enchanted island for myself, I have found these temporal contrasts constantly influencing my work. My paintings are inspired by the myriad species of lichen that cover the coasts and craggy mountains of Iceland. These are intricate worlds within worlds, each its own universe of color and texture. Lichen are believed by many to be some of the oldest living organisms on the planet. Meanwhile, my photos often depict the rusting bows of old ships, frayed ropes and fishing nets, metal-clad buildings battered by howling Arctic winds. This is nature relentlessly reclaiming all that is made by human hand, turning it back to its fundamental elements.
Jean Larson
