August 2011
Seventh Annual Sculpture Invitational
Join us in August for our Seventh Annual Sculpture Invitational! This exhibit features the 3-dimensional work of five talented local sculptors showcasing varied forms, media and techniques in a diversely spectacular display!
Gallery owner, Susan Springer, shows her latest figurative creations of female forms in clay, along with the works of: Penelope Dews; Anagama wood-fired ceramic vessels, animals, and figures. Cheryl Williams; bold, contemporary forms in steel and clay, Norman Ernsting; ceramic vessels and animals inspired by ancient artifacts, and Cantrell Maryott; sculptural assemblages of found objects and mixed media.
Susan Springer "Basket of Dreams"
Susan Springer
ceramic sculpture
Recently I have been thinking about the fleeting nature of time, the gesture which briefly exists and is quickly gone. Movement and energy of dance creates a series of moments, occasionally captured in a photograph. Time goes by faster and faster and, in an effort to be “in the moment,” I want to focus on the brief moment in time.
It is always a mystery where ideas come from. Themes emerge from seemingly unrelated forms. Currently, my sculptural forms have become more figurative. For years, the forms were purely a torso, the heads and arms and legs were not important. Later the sculptural forms took the form of dancers, figures in the act of movement. They were partially obscured by ruffled gowns, long white gloves and their partners.
My recent series of female figures are resting, settling down, taking a moment to readjust the heavy loads of fruits and dreams. They emerge from the wet clay slabs. Each piece suggests the next.
A long held desire to combine a working studio with a gallery focusing on functional art has come to fruition with Illahe Studios and Gallery in the historic Nininger building. Originally built in 1899 as a general store, the expansive, light filled building allows me to work and greet visitors to the gallery.
Penelope Dews "Hen, Rain and Kite"
Penelope Dews
ceramic sculpture
My hand-built figurative sculptural forms range from 1' to 20' in scale. On much of my work I write stories, poetry or journal writings. Many of the writings reflect on the perceptions we develop about who we are, about the importance we put on "surface things", our clothes, our looks, our money, and how they can define, and at times trap us.
I'm intrigued with objects that hold life... the shell of the hermit crab, the cocoon of the butterfly, the human body. Over the layers of time, they hold the story of the life that resides within. The vessels remain as life moves on, leaving their stories behind.
My work incorporates techniques such as pit-firing, stains, oxides and slips that create a timeless and ancient-look. Both ceramic and non-ceramic finishes have also been incorporated to complete the story.
For this show, sculptures were fired in an Anagama kiln (cave or tunnel kiln.) It is an ancient technique for firing pottery, with less than ten of these kilns in Oregon. These pieces were produced over the last year and fired in two Anagama kilns, in Elkton OR and Junction City OR. Each firing is as unpredictable as it is exciting. Firing an Anagama is more than merely an aim at creating unique and beautiful pottery. It is in great part a community event. Many hands handle the thousands of pieces of wood that go into the kiln. The successes are due to the energy of the group. Participants cook and eat together as well as work shifts around the clock.
Cheryl Williams, "Eclipse"
Cheryl williams
ceramic and metal sculpture
Cheryl Williams is an artist with an international reputation, whose professional career has spanned more than 20 years. Her art work is featured in the White House Collection and in the collections of many world leaders. Numerous corporations in the United States, Asia and South Africa have also added her art to their collections.
In recent years, Cheryl has developed strong relationships with art consultants, television and movie artists and stylists, corporate representatives and interior designers who wish to provide their clients with extraordinary beautiful works of art. She has also worked with Feng Shui practitioners to provide harmony and balance in the home and office environment.
Her art mediums have included steel sculptures, ceramic sculptures and abstract acrylic paintings on paper, making unique use of vibrant pigments and colors.
The energy that comes thru my heart and into my hands stirs great passion in me. The light that is within all of us is reflected in my work. Bringing essence into form, I make the ordinary appear extraordinary. My work is simple and elegant. It gives me great pleasure to share this with you.
Norman Ernsting "Etruscan Antelope"
Norman Ernsting
ceramic sculpture
Norman’s sculptures are inspired by the artifacts of ancient civilizations. By combining his interest in archeology and ceramic sculpture, he creates elegant and sensual forms that have a timeless appeal.
“Many ancient images speak to me-evoking a sense of awe and reverence. And so I have used them as points of departure, sometimes altering their size and shape for greater emotional impact. In doing so, I hope the love and respect I hold for the piece shows through in my work.”
His sculptures include animals, libation vessels, stone-age idols, anthropomorphic pots, goddess figures, amphorae, ceremonial vessels and abstract forms. The pieces vary in height from 12” to 48” and are suitable for indoor as well as outdoor display.
Each stoneware sculpture is handcrafted and treated with oxides and stains before being fired in a gas kiln. Sometimes an iron, copper or bronze coating is applied and through a chemical process, aging and encrustation of the metal is produced. The result is a patina with a time weathered look-like ancient relics of the past.
Norman has homes in Cold Spring, New York and Ashland, Oregon where he maintains ceramic studios.
Cantrell Maryott "Shaman"
Cantrell Maryott
Sculptural Assemblages
A puzzle of intriguing disparate objects assembled.
Old and misshapen parts, rusty and washed with an ancient patina, became mysterious treasures.
Various environments and cultures create their own unique artifacts; they tell a story of place, not only a record of time, but a visual and tactile link to it.
Each, a record of the peoples that discarded the element, as well as the environmental forces that shaped it, a connection between the doings of a people and the forces of the land, a connection found within the most disjointed elements and brought together in harmony.