Katie Bunn-Marcuse: Northwest Coast Silver Bracelets, Reflections of Culture

2 pm

Alano Edzerza:

New Works

Tahltan artist Alano Edzerza broke onto the Northwest Coast art scene in a whirlwind of energetic, modern design. Each new body of work from this dynamic young artist is a deeply
personal exploration of the mythic structure that permeates Tahltan culture. Utilizing such modern materials as glass, steel and giclée prints, and using digital design to aid his vision,
Edzerza has brought an electrifying contemporary sensibility to the ancient art forms of his people.

Bracelets:

A Beautiful Legacy

No other piece of jewelry is as culturally significant to the Pacific Northwest coastal communities as the bracelet. Bracelet cuffs are a medium on which well-known mythic narratives can be re-told in a continuous visual loop, where iconic characters tangle sinuously and familiar faces pop up in surprising ways. Their circular forms reach back to embrace ancient visual and oral traditions, while simultaneously stretching forward to usher them proudly into the future. Their flat shapes provide the ideal surface for engraving crests, patterns, floral designs and figures. This bracelet tradition has continued and flourished in the hands of today’s superb metal smiths. We have invited a select group of jewelers to each create a unique bracelet that pays tribute to this beautiful custom and represents their singular place in the Northwest Coast art world.

The Head Adorned:

Helmets, Hats, Frontlets, Masks & Jewelry

Remembering the Sacredness of the Four Seasons:

The Haida Weavings of Isabel Rorick

Stonington welcomes the traditional Haida basketry of Isabel Rorick with her solo show: Remembering the Sacredness of the Four Seasons. Rorick gathers natural materials on Haida Gwaii in the traditional method and painstakingly weaves them into gathering baskets. This show highlights four particular baskets, each of which honors the spirit of a season. These subtly patterned pieces remind us to reflect on and celebrate the natural bounty surrounding and providing
for us.

Bill Holm Exhibit Lecture

7pm—“Headgear” by Bill Holm,

Marvin Oliver a Visiting Artist at the Tacoma Museum of Glass Hot Shop

Barry Herem: Exhibit Talk

JUNE 27th, 2 pm

Barry Herem:

New Forms for (and from) the Northwest Coast

On June 3rd, Stonington Gallery opens an exhibition that will demonstrate how Barry Herem continues to assimilate his masterful understanding of the traditional coastal motifs with his own bold, contemporary aesthetic; thus, expanding and developing the art form in authentic and disciplined new ways using modern materials.

Herem’s artistic voice is inherently elegant, fluid and suitable to the most modern settings and sensibilities. This exhibition will highlight Herem’s imaginative new works consisting of nearly twenty pieces in steel, stainless steel and refined and pigmented concrete works, all suited for permanent installation in gardens, developing structures and public or private interiors. Herem’s monumental new steel “Raptor Gates,” half-inch steel pedestal steles, and concrete sculptures are ideal as architectural details for the Northwest vernacular. Each cast concrete piece is the stunning result of the collaboration between Barry Herem and Mike Olsen.

Erik Sandgren :

Landscape & Seascape Paintings

For the first time Stonington Gallery will be featuring paintings by Erik Sandgren as a complement to Barry Herem’s sculptures. Sandgren is a watercolor artist who portrays Northwest landscapes and seascapes.

Scott Jensen:

New Carvings

Stonington Gallery is eager to host in May an exhibit that will feature new works by both Scott Jensen and Courtney Lipson during this special year when these two artists are to be married. Among the new works will be his recognizably Scott Jensen Tlingit inspired carvings including new masks, a bowl and a rattle. Also for the first time, the gallery will be exhibiting Jensen’s Plains and Plateau style bead work. Jensen’s attention to detail and rich, subtle carving style transcends our modern world and connects with a time that was pristine and inspired by the natural world and the beauty, power and magic it engendered.

Courtney Lipson:

Micro-Mosaic Jewelry

Courtney Lipson's jewelry gets more exciting with every new exhibit. In this new collection, Lipson continues her process of replicating the unique patterns found in nature. A focus of this new body of work will be rings in celebration of Jensen's and Lipson's August wedding. These new pieces will be in Lipson’s signature micro-mosaic glass seed bead and grout designs; expect new earrings, necklaces and her intricate and beautiful cuffs as well.

Rick Bartow

Paintings, Monotypes, Drypoints, & Sculpture

In April, Stonington Gallery is pleased to present two solo exhibitions: Rick Bartow (Wiyot) and John Wilson (Haisla). These two artists offer interesting contrasts in the arena of contemporary Native art.

Rick Bartow's art is cathartic for both artist and viewer. His bold, spontaneous and expressionistic approach allows the viewer to access and experience the process where art is made, both psychically and physically. The energy and dissonance exerted on the canvas and paper is frenzied, even manic, mirroring life's challenges and chaos. And then it is worked through; Bartow has immersed himself in the deep and calming waters of his native mythology, its connectedness to the natural world, and the mythic characters who inhabit it.

Balance is found and restored as revealed in the clarity and focus in the eyes of Bartow's characters. They often gaze beyond the present; their sights resting peacefully on something just out of view: a future that appears to hold the possibility for solidity and peace.

John Wilson:

Haisla Masks

John Wilson's art is a studied contrast to the bold expressionism of Bartow. Wilson, a Haisla artist is currently studying with Dempsey Bob, Stan Bevan, and Ken McNeil at the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art in British Columbia, is finding his connection to culture and community through elarning and mastering traditional Haisla art. Wilson is most inclined to carve masks and has the rare ability to bring forth soul and personality in his carvings. Technically the work is accomplished, however what elevates traditional Northwest Coast masks to art is the artist's ability to imbue a life-like essence in them. A mask is a subsitute or stand-in for a mythic or real person and should evoke a sense of life and spirit even when not being worn or danced. Wilson's traditionally executed art resonates with life and the human spirit.

Haida Masters

The Stonington Gallery will feature contemporary Haida art in March, including a rare opportunity to view and collect a limited edition Bill Reid 22kt cast gold "Grizzly Bear Medallion and Chain," 1972. The Haida are from British Columbia's Queen Charlotte Islands and are respected for their refined and elegant art traditions. The late Bill Reid is considered by many Canadians to be their country's foremost artist and, as such, is featured on their twenty dollar bank note. Few of Bill Reid's works are available for viewing outside of museum collections, most notable collections at the UBC Museum of Anthropology, the Provincial Museum (Victoria) and the new Bill Reid Art Gallery (Vancouver).

Stonington Gallery will aslo feature in March works by other leading Haida masters including a new sculpture, "T'samuss," by Robert Davidson; spruce root weavings by Isabel Rorick; and argillite carvings by other well-known Haida artists.

Eyes on the Northwest Coast

The Stonington Gallery will be featuring small collections of work by Gallery artists during the month of February. This exhibit will allow the gallery to showcase the finest art being created along the Pacific Northwest Coast. Featured artists will include Rick Bartow, Robert Davidson, Alano Edzerza, Dale Faulstich, David Franklin, Jason Gobin, Barry Herem, Scott Jensen, Courtney Lipson, Adam McIsaac, Duane Pasco, Shaun Peterson, Susan Point, Hib Sabin, Raven Skyriver, Joan Tenenbaum, and Andrea Wilbur-Sigo.

Of special note is a new work in glass by Raven Skyriver. This latest hand blown and sculpted glass masterpiece, "Devilfish," explores Skyriver's twin passions: the sea life of Puget Sound and glass blowing. "Devilfish" is a glorious sculpture by one of the region's most visionary and technically brilliant glass artists.

Raven and Eagle:

Love of the Northwest Coast

We conclude 2009 with a group exhibit that speaks to our love of the Northwest Coast. The Stonington Gallery artists have spent their lives immersed in the mythology of the Northwest Coast. They are the finest artists of our time and their singular effort to honor the Raven stories and other myths will bring a brilliant and stunning finale to the year!

Joan Tenenbaum:

50 Years of Jewelry Making; The Depth and Breadth of a Fifty Year Passion

Come Celebrate in September with Stonington Gallery as we mark Joan Tenenbaum's 50th anniversary of making jewelry.  Joan will present a new body of work reprising all the themes that are dear to her heart. Her humble beginning work from 1959 and the early 1960's will be juxtaposed with stunning new creations. From the debut of new wedding ring designs to abstract landscapes and cuff bracelets, from spiritual figurines to elegant necklaces and bold one-of-a-kind rings, those who have followed Joan's work for the past several decades will find familiar themes treated in an entirely new manner.

Hib Sabin:

Life Cycles

Hib Sabin imbues each of his carvings with a spirit power that can be strongly felt. Sabin's characters play a role in allowing him to express and explore the beauty and acceptance he feels with life's cycles of birth, death, and the journey in between and beyond. His cast of figues moves in and out of an ancient and timeless spirit world. In this exhibit, Hib will continue this exploration of animal spirit and the journey of life through his sculpture.

Joan Tenenbaum: Gallery Talk

Joan Tenenbaum will talk informally about her jewelry work and how it has developed over the years. She will talk about her creative process, how she develops her ideas, how she selects gemstones and materials for her designs, will answer questions, and she will share tales of some of the experiences, teachers and other jewelry artists who have influenced her.

Weaving Wisdom and Warmth: Contemporary Master Weavers of the Northwest Coast

This highly anticipated group exhibition will showcase Stonington Gallery's extraordinary weavers including Nancy Burgess, Chloe French, Clarissa Hudson, Bill and Fran James, June Parker, Betty Pasco, Susan Pavel, Ruth Peterson, Karen Reed, Isabel Rorick, Mary Lou Slaughter, Malynn Wilbur Foster, and Jane Wiseman. Artwork inspired by weaving will also be included such as weaving and textile design micro-mosaic beadwork jewelry by Courtney Lipson, glass Salish baskets by Marvin Olver, etc. Weaving is a seminal art form within all the communities up and down this coastal region and this exhibition will honor this tradition with a breathtaking collection of the finest weaving from every corner of the Northwest Coast.

Weaving Demonstration

Many of the artists participating in the October Weaving Exhibition will demonstrate the traditional processes of basket weaving, blanket weaving, and spinning wool.

Scott Jensen: Aleut Hat Bending Demonstration

7 pm

Scott Jensen has a passion for Aleut hats and will be steam bending a hat live at the gallery! Of all the traditional steam bent objects on the northwest coast, none are more challenging than the famed Aleut hat. Scott's Aleut hats are legendary, the finest being made today. Please join us for this special evening with Scott Jensen and gain a wonderful insight into one of the coast’s most exquisite and rare objects.

Thomas Stream

Striving for Balance

Aleut artist Thomas Stream explores what it is to be an Aleut man and artist in modern times. The Aleut culture was devastated by the relentless hunting of Sea Otter in the 19th century. The tragic result of this obsession was the near collapse of Aleut culture. More than a century later, Thomas Stream's paintings are a splendid and unique portrayal of Aleut culture and its respectful relationship with nature. Thomas Stream is collected internationally and is a vital link to one of North America's least known and most magnificent cultures.

Raven Skyriver

New Works in Glass

The Stonington Gallery is pleased to present works by glass artist Raven Skyriver. Skyriver spent his childhood on the Olympic Peninsula and has chosen to use his spectacular finesse in glass to honor the sea creatures that inhabit the waters of the great Pacific Northwest Coast.

Skyriver joined the William Morris Glass Team in 2003 and has also worked with Lino Tagliapietra’s team at The Glass Factory in Ca’dora, Brazil.

Paul Owen Lewis: Gallery Talk

Acclaimed award winning author and illustrator, Paul Owen Lewis, will share how he came to create Storm Boy and Frog Girl, two popular Northwest Coast themed children’s books, and will discuss the imporant influence his friend and mentor Bill Holm has had on his work.

Robert Barratt: An Eye for Beauty

Robert Barratt, in collaboration with fellow carver Todd Wells, has created an exhibit that explores the architectural and decorative elements of Northwest Coast art. The collection includes carved doors, feast dishes, rattles, and masks.

Courtney Lipson:

A Closer Look II

This year’s exhibition is inspired by a collection of precious stones that Courtney has acquired through the years. This body of work shows the breathtaking evolution of this remarkable young artist’s work.

Alaska:

Celebrating the Art of the Bering Sea Coastal Region

Featuring Alutiiq Artists Perry Eaton and Lena Amason.

Barry Herem

New Works in Wood and Steel

The contributions by Barry Herem to contemporary Northwest Coast art are numerous and important. Herem first fell in love with Northwest Coast art as a young man doing surveying work in S.E. Alaska. Always fascinated by the Northwest Coast art and culture, Herem's true love for the art form was cemented when he saw the famed carvings of the 19th century Tlingit master artist, Kadjis du axtc, in the Whale house in Klukwan, Alaska. From that time on, Herem devoted his life to Northwest Coast art. He is a leading scholar, writer, lecturer, and artist on the subject. His fluency in the language of formline is juxtaposed with his love and of and openness towards modern materials, establishing new possibilities for interpreting and expressing Northwest coast art. This show will include a selection of work in corten steel, carvings in cedar, acrylic paintings and serigraphs.

Barry Herem:  Gallery Talk

What is a Masterpiece? The Great Art of the Northwest Coast

Small Treasures of the Northwest Coast

In June, Stonington Gallery will feature a group exhibition focusing on small scale sculpture, paintings, prints, and jewelry. The exquisite detail of well-crafted Northwest Coast art is often highlighted best in the smaller pieces you can hold and experience intimately. This exhibit will be full of work that has been carved on laps, held in pockets, painted with small brushes and created with the knowledge that art is well appreciated when viewed up close.

Nancy Burgess: Weaving Demonstration

Shaun Peterson: Gallery Talk

Young Artists:

The Next Great Generation I

This group exhibition will be an introduction to a larger exhibit scheduled at Stonington Gallery in 2010 that will focus on the younger artists whose energies have been fueled by the past 60 years of cultural renaissance. The dedication, talent and passion of these young artists have propelled them into the ranks of the next generation of great artists. Among artists included will be Alano Edzerza, David Franklin, Phil Gray, Adam McIsaac, Shaun Peterson, Andrea Wilbur-Sigo and John Wilson.

Andy Peterson: Carving Demonstration

David Franklin: Carving Demonstration

Lecture with Duane and Betty Pasco

Featured Artist:
Adam McIsaac

New Dimensions:  Collage & Silhouette

Jay Haavik:
Carving Demonstration

Adam McIsaac :
Carving Demonstration

Featured Artists:
Andy and Ruth Peterson

Andy and Ruth Peterson are featured in a two person exhibition of carved sculpture and hand blown, slumped and etched glass. Andy Peterson is considered one of the leaders of the Coast Salish renaissance. Andy's design and carving are emblematic of a mature artist at the height of his career. Ruth's glass sculpture is remarkable for its originality and grace.

Owen and Janet Walker:
Wax Carving and Casting Discussion and Engraving Demonstration

to see photos of the Demonstration

Scott Jensen: Steam Bending a Box
Courtney Lipson: Jewelry Making Demonstration

to see photos of the Demonstration

Henry Van Calcar: Carving Demonstration

Featured Artist: Maynard Johnny Jr.

We have had the pleasure of working with Maynard for over seven years.  Our favorite memory of Maynard, and one we will treasure always, was from the day the Stonington Gallery opened our Awakenings exhibition, August 16th, 2005. We had spent nearly two years planning the exhibition. During that time we had made many trips to British Columbia and spent many evenings writing the exhibition catalogue Contemporary Coast Salish Art. We were immersed in all things Coast Salish for two years. It was wonderful. However, the full impact of the cultural importance of the exhibit really did not hit home until Maynard Johnny, Jr. got up and spoke at the Opening Reception. We had an open mic available for anyone who wanted to share thoughts about the exhibit. There were so many wonderful, interesting things said that day. But what will always come to mind are the comments Maynard made and how heartfelt they were and how difficult it was for him to speak to a crowd. Maynard expressed how much the show meant to him as a Coast Salish man and artist. He spoke of the sense of great personal relief and joy that his cultural heritage was finally being celebrated and how satisfying it felt that people wanted to learn and understand the cultures that were here long before the west was settled. It felt like so much bottled sadness had been released, and in its place a sense of hope. Maynard is an extremely sensitive, reflective man and in that moment of listening to him and watching him I was more grateful for having the great fortune to be a witness to the cultural resurgence or "awakening" that is coursing through so many of these tribal lands. The paintings and prints Maynard created for that show remain some of our personal favorites. Maynard Johnny, Jr.'s art has been featured in several museum exhibitions including the Seattle Art Museum's S'ababeb-The Gifts: Pacific Coast Salish Art and Artists in which his work also graces the cover of the exhibition catalogue. Maynard is a painter; his painting has clarity, confidence and grace. The ultimate success and transcendence of both northern and southern coastal art depends on the artist's intellectual and intuitive sense of line. Like writing, music, poetry, Pacific Coastal art has stylistic conventions that must be honored; and then within those constructs the artist has the freedom to express himself. A tight, awkward composition is readily evident and comes from the artist being uncomfortable with the language of the lines of this art style. One must draw and paint for years before the natural grace of a line is second nature. Johnny's art is fluid, taut, undulating and brilliant, as exemplified in his "Killer Whale" painting. His love of the art and a dedication to his culture has made it a joy to represent Maynard Johnny, Jr. and a pleasure to know him.  

Scott Jensen Studio Tour

Transformation and Change on the Pacific Northwest Coast

2008 culminates with our annual theme exhibition. This year we explore the mystery and magic of transformation and change. In Northwest Coast myths and legends, humans, animals, and supernatural characters tranform interchangeably. Living is a process of change and transformation - physically and spiritually. We look forward to exploring these ideas in their many manifestations

Hib Sabin and Phil Charette:

Masks and Other Transformations

David Franklin

A Solo Exhibition

Courtney Lipson

A Closer Look

Mary Randlett - Slide Show and Lecture

Renowned landscape photographer Mary Randlett, will discuss how her northwest painter friends have been an important inspiration behind her photography. Please RSVP by October 9th.

This Coast Salish Place

This will be our third exhibition to focus exclusively on the profoundly gratifying cultural renaissance taking place within our regional Coast Salish tribal communities. The passion, time, commitment, and education that has propelled this renaissance will be exemplified in This Coast Salish Place.

ALASKA -- Thomas Stream

Wildlife Portraits, An Aleut's Perspective

We are proud to present another incredible selection of new original gouache paintings by Aleut artist Thomas Stream. New characters emerge in his painted menagerie developed over the decades: the pesky raccoon, busy beaver, and regal elk are among his most recent subjects. These characters are all depicted in Thomas's signature style, wearing the iconic Aleut hunting hats and set in the landscapes of our world that the artist respects and holds dear.

ALASKA -- Joan Tenenbaum

Connecting Culture with Landscape

Joan Tenenbaum explores traditional Yup'ik and Inupiaq style Ulu Knife Jewelry through her as always impeccably created jewelry. Brooches, pendants, earrings and an incredible cuff bracelet convey Joan's close associations with and understanding of the Alaskan landscapes and Eskimo cultures.

ALASKA -- Life of the Arctic Tundra

Alaskan Sculpture and Basket Weaving

With Stonington Gallery's annual foray into ALASKA, we are delighted to introduce a body of exquisite finely coiled grass baskets by Central Yup'ik weaver, Jane Wiseman. Jane gathers a variety of grasses along the banks of the rivers near her village in Chefornak, Alaska. She hand treats and dyes the grasses and dedicates hours to weaving beautiful lidded and open baskets, bowls, and trays.

The exhibit will also feature a breathtaking collection of new whalebone and ivory carvings from the Bearing Sea Inupiaq and Siberian Yupik carvers. Masterfully carved walrus ivory tusk and whalebone totems by Siberian Yupik artist Edwin Noongwook of Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island, whalebone dancers and hunters by Shishmaref Inupiaq artist Bill Jones; large whale scapula carvings by Inupiaq artists Edwin Weyiouanna and Richard Olanna; as well as a variety of other whalebone and ivory carvings from other Eskimo artists reflecting their lives and their culture.

ALASKA -- Courtney Lipson

Ravenstail Jewelry

Courtney Lipson expands her body of micro-mosaic glass seed bead jewelry to include the traditional Northwest Coast geometric Ravenstail band and diamond weaving patterns, using black, white and gold beads.

ALASKA -- Hana Von Krenner

Athabaskan Beadwork

Hana Von Krenner continues to exhibit a masterful skill in traditional Northwest Coast and Athabaskan bead work styles and techniques.

Scott Jensen

A Solo Exhibition

The long awaited second Scott Jensen solo exhibition will be sure to astound. Like his previous collection of work, these carvings are without compare. Jensen's style is imbued with a love and respect for the early Tlingit masters who created some of civilization's greatest masterpieces. With every carved ovoid and painted u-form, Jensen pays homage to the elegant and complicated relationship between form and line; the multi-layered tension between positive and negative space; this formline language has adorned art for the Pacific Northwest Coast native tribes for millenia. Scott will give a guided tour of the exhibit Saturday, June 7th at 2 pm.

Annual Duwamish Tribe Gala Dinner and Art Auction

Honoring Seattle's First People

You are warmly invited to join a celebraion of Duwamish culture and Northwest art hosted by the Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI). Enoy a vibrant live show by Gene Tagaban, a cocktail reception and silent art auction, performance by TIlibshudub ("Singing Feet"), and a traditional live auction of valuable art from Northwest artists such as Preston Singletary and Marvin Oliver.

Proceeds from the gala will benefit Duwamish Tribal Services (DTS), a nonprofit organization that provides critical support to nearly 600 tribal members.

When: Sunday, June 08, 2008
4:00 pm doors open
4:30-7:00 pm live show, reception and silent art auction
7:00-8:30 pm traditional feast and live art auction

Where: Museum of History & Industry
2700 24th Ave. E, Seattle| (map it!)

Festive cocktail attire. Free parking available onsite.

Masks & Panels

This group exhibit will illustrate the sculptural and dramatic three dimensional aspects of masks, as well as the elegance and grace of two dimensional low relief carvings and paintings. Both are emblematic of Northwest Coast traditions. It will also be a wonderful way to share the importance of the mythological characters and legends of the coast.

Currently at Stonington

With the coming of Spring, new work is flowing into Stonington! Rain or shine it's always interesting and run to drop into the Gallery to check out what's new in Pacific Northwest Coast and Alaskan art.  In March, 2008, Stonington Gallery will feature a variety of works including a phenomenal argillite Wasco Bowl (Wolf/Killerwhale transformation) with removable dorsal fin by Christian White, the foremost Haida carver of this material found in the Queen Charlotte Islands. Known for his lovely flowing lines, intricate inlays and interesting and sometimes whimsical subject matter, Christian's Wolf Bowl is a jewel. The Gallery is proud to be able to make this piece available to  its collectors.

Also featured will be hats and baskets by Isabel Rorick and Nancy Burgess;a unique colorful Small Glass Kachina and other glass works and prints by Marvin Oliver; glass panels, paintings and prints by Alano Edzerza; and a large selection of new ivory and whalebone carvings from the Inupiaq Eskimos living in the Bering Sea coastal region of Alaska.   

Inspired by Love

Stonington Gallery Jewelers

With Valentine's Day around the corner, Stonington's jewelers have created an exquisite body of work in celebration of the month of love.

RAIN: A GROUP CELEBRATION

Stonington Gallery and its staff are as confident as ever that we live in the most spectacular place on earth – the rich, verdant and beautiful Pacific Northwest.  We also acknowledge that without the very thing that many dread come the fall and winter months every year -- that is RAIN -- our region simply would not be as lush and wonderful as it is.  From the Cascades on the mainland to the rain forests on the Olympic Peninsula, and from the Canadian Cascades out to the Pacific coast -- our region nestled in the midst of this vibrant valley witnesses a weather system that has fed and nurtured the development of rich cultures along our coastline for centuries. Provided with an abundance of food from the land and sea as well as materials for sea canoes, shelter, tools and clothing made from old growth forests, Native cultures in our region were able to take the time to develop a complicated and intricate art form that has lasted through the millennia.  Therefore, we, along with our Gallery artists from our jewelers to our painters to our carvers, pay tribute to Rain – for without it, all of the beauty that surrounds us now may never have come to be just quite the way that it did. 

HIB SABIN: FITS IN YOUR POCKET

Opening simultaneously with a December group exhibit celebrating “Rain,” Stonington Gallery is proud to present a special body of work featuring small animal spirit carvings by the popular artist Hib Sabin: “Fits in Your Pocket.”  Not unlike prior works by Sabin, these explore themes of shamanism and the nature of animal spirits as manifested through spirit helper masks, spirit canoes, and spirit sticks; however, this exhibit focuses on these themes through similar items but all on a miniature scale -- amulets, maskettes, mini canoes, and a lovely miniature Lyre boat.

Alano Edzerza:
Northwest Coast Formline Art in
Glass, Pencil, and Acrylic

For the first time, Stonington Gallery is proud to host a solo exhibition of new two- and three-dimensional works by young up-and-coming artist Alano Edzerza. Edzerza belongs to the Raven clan of the Tahltan Nation located in northwest British Columbia east of the Tlingit and north of the Tsimshian.  Edzerza’s glass sculpture and two-dimensional works have widespread appeal for their modern interpretations of the traditional principles of Northwest Coast formline art. Edzerza clearly understands and internalizes the traditional and formal aspects of Northwest Coast art, while successfully marrying them with modern aesthetics, as exemplified in his etched glass boxes and panels. The formline designs that traditionally graced the iconic steam bent boxes or wooden wall panels are now etched into glass, while the lids and bases remain old growth cedar.  The outcome is exciting contemporary work merged with the foundations set by the great art of the old masters. His works can be found as the centerpiece of either the most chic, modern home or one with the most traditional of Northwest Coast art collections.

Angela Swedberg:
The Art of Medicine

Angela Swedberg's blown glass and beaded sculpture draws inspiration from the objects common to the tribes of the Plains and Plateau: gourd rattles, sacred necklaces, and ladles. Swedberg, world renown for her tradtional quill and bead work, and particularly for her show work for Appaloosa's, is taking the traditional bead work and incorporating it with hand blown glass. This body of work was created while Swedberg was dealing with a serious illness. The creation of the pieces was healing and inspired her to develop work that addressed the importance of ritual objects in the healing arts of all native tribes, though these items are representations, not actual items used for ritual.

Swedberg States: "The Native American concept of 'medicine' is much different from the modern world's concept of it. Their healing process concerns not only the physical, but the mental and spiritual worlds as well. One is not whole when the others are out of balance. Power and healing come from many different sources: animal, plant, and the forces of the earth. This exploration in glass is inspired by the people around me that are currently dealing with medical uissues, as well as other problems that life throws at you. It may be that I'm getting older, or it may be a sign of the times, but in my world, there are more friends that have been battling cancer and other life threatening health problems. I want to help them all, but for the most part all I can do is pray for them and send positive thoughts. This got me thinking about what traditional healers did, as well as what they used for healing people. I decided to show the beauty of certain items used to heal. I am making each item as a prayer for better health and recovery to those around me."

Swedberg's good friend, Joe David, whose work is simultaneously being featured in November at Stonington Gallery in the "Engraved in Tradition" jewelry exhibit, also explores the healing powers of amulets and jewelry. Both artists are renowned for their wealth of knowledge of tribal cultures as well as their refined craftsmanship. The opportunity to see a body of work honiring sacred healing objects by both of these artists is a rare and wonderful opportunity.

Engraved in Tradition-
A Jewelry Exhibit

Jewelry making is an acient tradition of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Tribes from the Columbia River north to Alaska engraved and carved elaborate jewelry. Most well known are the engraved silver braceletes of the Haida and Tlingit tribes. The Stonington Gallery has strived to nurture this tradition by focusing on contemporary jewelers whose work contributes to this rich and long tradition. This November's group show, "Engraved in Tradition", will feature the Stonington's jewelry artists and highlight work by Joe David, a Nuu-chah-nulth artist renowned for his carving, painting, and jewelry.  David's jewelry will allude to the important use of small amulets or jewelry as powerful and important tools to aid tribal Shamans in their healing work.

Other participating artists include: Steve Brown (Curator Emeritus, Seattle Art Museum's Northwest Coast Native Art), Joan Tenenbaum, Jay Simeon (Haida), Jerry Hill, George Estrella, Lois Bertolino, Bill Bedard (Haida), Courtney Lipson, Owen and Janet Walker, and Jean Regal Westgate.

Lecture Series

Wednesday, 7pm  $5 admission

Please join us for an evening with Scott Jensen, November 7, 2007 when he will discuss the body of art that will be created for his SOLO EXHIBIT as well as the old works that have inspired his career. Please call to reserve tickets. Admission $5.

Lecture Series

Wednesday, 7pm  $5 admission

Please join us on Wednesday, October 17th at 7pm for an evening with artist and scholar, Barry Herem, for his lecture on KADJIS DU AXTC, A TLINGIT MICHELANGELO.  The style of Kadjis du axtc (circa 1750-1850) is recognized in several known works, the most famous of which are the houseposts of the Whale House in Southeast Alaska.  Images of reproductions of this man's work by Steve Brown and others in the 1980's will be included.  Please call to reserve tickets.

Lecture Series

Wednesday, 7pm  $5 admission

Please join us for a special lecture with Joan Tenenbaum, THE ARTIST LINGUIST, TRANSLATING FIELD RESEARCH INTO WEARABLE ART, on Wednesday September 12 at 7pm.  Joan will share her experiences from her years spent living with the Athabaskans and Eskimos in Alaska.  It is a story made all the more remarkable after learning how her memories are translated into her exquisite jewelry. Joan will also be available to sign copies of her re-released book, DENA'INA SUKDU'A: TRADITIONAL STORIES OF THE TANAINA ATHABASKANS. Please phone or email for tickets. 

Joan Tenenbaum, The Artist Linguist

Translating Field Research into Wearable Art

September will witness Joan Tenenbaum's newest body of work, in which she returns to her early years as a young anthropologist who traveled to Alaska to document a little known Athabaskan language in a small rural Alaskan village. 

In previous work Joan has shown us her ability to translate the Alaskan landscape, animals, people, customs and artifacts into exquisite, wearable pieces of art.  Now, for the first time, she demonstrates her remarkable talents in jewelry-making by telling the story of the language itself, the experience of being a field linguist, and the traditional stories she recorded and wrote down for the first time ever in the native Athabaskan language.  Tenenbaum draws on her extensive vocabulary as a goldsmith to weave her own tale related to the documentation of one of the world's most complex languages.

Joan Tenenbaum will share her experiences from her years spent living with the Athabaskans and Eskimos in Alaska and be available to autograph books at 7pm on Wednesday, September 12.  Please call to reserve tickets.  Admission $5.

Thomas Stream

An Aleutian Presence

Aleut painter Thomas Stream’s newest paintings will be featured, including much-larger-than-life portraits of Alaskan wildlife cultural icons Raven and Stellar’s Jay each painted in a 5’ x 7’ format.

Art of Alaska:

An Artistic Frontier

The diversity of Alaska's landscape is mirrored by the extraordinary range of cultures that have adapted to and thrived over the centuries.  From the Northwest Coast Native cultures of Southeast Alaska, to the Aleut of the Aleutian Islands, the Yup'ik and Inupiat Eskimos of the North Pacific and Bering Sea to the Athabaskan of Central Alaska, this exhibit will honor these ancient and still vital cultures and their art traditions.

Courtney Lipson

Patterns

Inspired by the traditions of European mosaics and Native American beadwork, PATTERNS will showcase Courtney Lipson's micro-mosaic jewelry, exquisitely composed from glass seed beads set into hand crafted silver and gold backings.  Lipson's new jewelry collection will focus on the rhythm of patterns found in nature as well as hand crafted objects such as baskets and blankets.  In conjunction with Joe Feddersen's new print series, PATTERNS will be both an intense and delicately woven experience

Joe Feddersen

New Dimensions:  Collage & Silhouette

PATTERNS will also showcase the distinguished printmaking of Joe Feddersen.  Feddersen's prints, much like his blown glass, utilize patterns to examine the changing cultural landscape.  Traditional Plateau designs combine with the pattern of modern items such as tire treads.  Feddersen currently has a large installation piece at the Smithsonian, National Museum of the American Indian in New York City.  In conjunction with Courtney Lipson's exquisite jewelry, PATTERNS will be both an intense and delicately woven experience.

Celebrate Puget Sound

A Group Exhibition in Conjunction with
Puget Soundscape

CELEBRATE PUGET SOUND is intended to honor and celebrate the history, cultures and ecology of Puget Sound and its watershed.  With this exhibit, the Gallery hopes to provide a better understanding of what was here before, determine where we are now, and contemplate what the future holds for Puget Sound. 

To this end, Stonington Gallery has spearheaded a two month community-wide event to coincide with its exhibit.  PUGET SOUNDSCAPE: A COMMUNITY CELEBRATION OF PUGET SOUND THROUGH ART, ECOLOGY AND CULTURE will illuminate the issues facing the Sound and open a dialogue among the community to examine the complexities of these issues.  Stonington Gallery is excited to be joined by a number of the area's finest cultural organizations and other local businesses who all will be offering compelling and diverse programming and experiences that will enlighten, entertain and hopefully solidify our support for saving the Puget Sound ecosystem, and, in turn, boost awareness to a larger audience including both local residents and tourists alike.  With this summer celebration we hope to set a precedent for the future by encouraging people to come together and utilize the resources and knowledge available through a wide variety of institutions whose mission it is to preserve the history, culture and ecological state of one of the nation's most spectacular natural settings, our very own Puget Sound.

Visit WWW.PUGETSOUNDSCAPE.COM for additional information about the community wide celebration.

Joe David

Personal Moments

Joe David's PERSONAL MOMENTS is a reflection on the people and experiences that have influenced him personally and artistically.  He's been so inspired behind this exhibit, he's "barely taken time to eat or sleep."  A fascinating side of Joe David and his vision of humanity is revealed through these human faces.

Rick Bartow

The Origin of Song

Rick bartow continues to work in a turbulent and expressionistic style that explodes onto the surface of the paper.  Provocative and exciting, Bartow's work in THE ORIGIN OF SONG resounds with ongoing themes of animal/human transformation, focusing closely on the spiritual importance of birds in his Wiyot culture.

Winter Celebration

A Group Exhibition

WINTER CELEBRATION is a group exhibition celebrating the rituals and traditions surrounding the solstice season.  Participating artists include: Yukie Adams, Robert Barratt, Rick Bartow, Steve Brown, Joe David, Robert Davidson, Dave Franklin, Barry Herem, Scott Jensen, Courtney Lipson, Marvin Oliver, Duane Pasco, Shaun Peterson, Isabel Rorick, Joan Tenenbaum, Loren White and more. 

Myths' Immortal Characters

Hib Sabin: A Solo Exhibition

    MYTHS' IMMORTAL CHARACTERS is a solo exhibition featuring new juniper and bronze works by Hib Sabin.  Hib creates a cast of figures that move in and out of the spiritual world and represent a certain ancient timelessness. 

Stonington Gallery proudly presents MYTHS' IMMORTAL CHARACTERS, a full color 24 page catalogue highlighting Sabin's work and experiences, available for $10 at the gallery.  Please contact Stonington at stonington@qwest.net or (866) 405-4485 to place an order.
 

Jean Ferrier

A Solo Exhibition

JEAN FERRIER'S exhibition features handmade books and mixed media paintings on paper and wood.   Ferrier's handmade books are exquisitely detailed with hand painted illustrations and text in calligraphy.  Her books honor the important tradition of storytelling among the northwest coast tribes and provide an excellent format for her nuanced figurative paintings. 

Loren White

A Solo Exhibition

LOREN WHITE'S work includes carvings in cedar and bronze as well as glass sculpture created during his recent residency at the Pilchuck Glass School.  White's cedar and glass sculptures are another contribution to the expanding body of work which marries the traditions of Northwest Coast art and studio glass.

Classically Northern

Celebrating Northern Formline

CLASSICALLY NORTHERN celebrates the complex design system coined "formline" by noted artist and scholar Bill Holm.  Participating artists include Robert Davidson, Phil Gray, Allie High, Scott Jensen, Mark Preston, Wayne Price, Isabel Rorick, Tim Runyan, Jay Simeon and April White.

Thomas Stream

A Retrospective

THOMAS STREAM: A RETROSPECTIVE highlights the 30+ year career of this talented Aleutian artist.  The expressive and finely detailed gouache paintings feature local flora and fauna adorned with traditional Aleut hunting visors.

Bering Spirit

Works from the Alaskan & Siberian Yup'ik and Interior Arctic Corridor

BERING SPIRIT features ivory and whalebone carvings, Yupik masks, bentwood visors and cedar sculptures from the Alaskan and Siberian Yup'ik and Interior Arctic Corridor.  Participating artists include Philip Charette, John Hoover, Scott Jensen, Peter Lind, Edwin Noongwook, Richard Olanna, John & Mark Tetpon and others.  

...To See a World in a Grain of Sand...

Micro-Mosaic Jewelry by Courtney Lipson: A Solo Exhibition

...TO SEE A WORLD IN A GRAIN OF SAND...takes a close look at the world, recreating details such as butterfly wings, flowers, and feathers in Courtney Lipson's unique mosaic style. 

Borne of Myth & Fire

Celebrating Northwest Coast Art in Glass

BORNE OF MYTH & FIRE presents an elegant collection of northwest art fusing traditional themes with new media. Participating artists include Jewels Durham, Joe Fedderson, Phil Gray, Barry Herem, Scott Jensen, Ed Archie NoiseCat, Marvin Oliver, Andy Peterson, Ruth Peterson, Shaun Peterson, Lillian Pitt, Susan Point and Preston Singletary.

Dimensions

Exploring Scale through Monumental Sculpture and Intricate Jewelry

DIMENSIONS presents the contrasts between two equally significant Pacific Northwest Coast art traditions: monumental sculpture and jewelry.  Exhibiting the grand with the diminutive demonstrates and celebrates the pervasive role of art in Northwest Coast cultures.  Participating artists include Steve Brown, John Goodwin, Jerry Hill, Courtney Lipson, Wayne Price, Jay Simeon, Joan Tenenbaum, Janet & Owen Walker, Connie Watts and Jean Regal Westgate.

Winter Solstice Exhibition

A Celebration of the Season

WINTER SOLSTICE EXHIBITION pays tribute to the season of tradition, honoring community spirit and celebration.  Participating artists include Yukie Adams, Robert Barratt, Joe David, David Franklin, Barry Herem, Scott Jensen, Maynard Johnny Jr., Duane Pasco, Shaun Peterson, Wayne PRice, Thomas Stream, Isabel Rorick, Hib Sabin, Jay Simeon, Loren White and others.

Through the Eyes of the Northwest Coast Woman

THROUGH THE EYES OF THE NORTHWEST COAST WOMAN is an exhibit celebrating the vision of the women artists at Stonington Gallery.  This show features the work of 23 female artists spanning a wide variety of media and cultural references.  Featured artists include April White, Susan Point, Debie Knight-Kennedy, Ruth Wilbur-Peterson and Nancy Taylor Stonington.

Awakenings

A Gathering of Contemporary Coast Salish Artists

Three years in the making, the AWAKENINGS exhibition and its accompanying book, Contemporary Coast Salish Art, present the work of 20 artists whose art ranges from traditional expressions in basketry and weaving to innovations in glass and metal.

Jean Ferrier

Paintings on Wood and Paper

Jean Ferrier's exhibition of mixed media painting on cedar panels celebrating characters and mythology from Pacific Northwest Coast culture demonstrates the innovation that she brings to the tradition.  Jean has developed into one of the most accomplished painters in the region.

Courtney Lipson

Micro-Mosaic Jewelry

Courtney Lipson's glass beaded jewelry honors the tradition of mosaics on a micro scale.

Hib Sabin

Journey to the Interior

Hib Sabin's sculptures focus on themes of looking inward, figures within figures, and travel through time and space, from birth to death.  Hib has studied the mythology of the Northwest Coast native cultures and interprets them in his Juniper carvings.

Totem

Icon of the Pacific Northwest

Today's contemporary totem poles serve as a tribute and remembrance to the native cultures and their artists who conceived of and so skillfully executed these monuments.  With old growth cedar fast becoming a memory of the past this will be a rare opportunity of a lifetime to see so many contemporary masterpieces in one exhibition.