November Issue 2000
Blue Spiral 1 Gallery At SOFA Show in Chicago
Blue Spiral 1 presents seven exceptional Southeastern artists at The International Exhibition of Sculptural Objects and Functional Art (SOFA) in Chicago, Nov. 3 - 5, 2000. The SOFA exposition, now in it's seventh year, is known for bridging the worlds of contemporary decorative and fine art. This major exhibition features presentations by ninety galleries from around the world.
Robert Gardner unites cast glass with steel into bold sculpture. The artist's bottle and ball forms are raw, challenging traditional notions about glass. Gardner's occasional incorporation of gold leaf adds an engaging reflective quality. Visually appealing, this gold also serves to invite contemplation of what is perceived as precious.
Chad Alice Hagen, a feltmaker for over fifteen years, makes her debut appearance at SOFA this year. Constructing wall pieces from fragments or whole cloths, Hagen utilizes resist dye techniques and often incorporates elements of gathered or handmade objects. Her intimate textiles evoke a sense of stillness, meditation, and reflection.
Virginia Scotchie's works are distinctively textural. Her coarse crucible vessels balance atop slender steel tables. For SOFA, the artist has also produced a dynamic series of wall spheres which can be arranged in multiple configurations. Through characteristic texture and shapes she creates work that simultaneously suggests modern technology or an era long faded.
Michael Sherrill merges steel with extruded and carved porcelain to construct contemporary sculpture inspired by foliage. Sherrill's leaf forms mirror their counterparts in contour and through an exquisite palette of color gradients. The artist sandblasts through multiple layers of glaze, exposing subtle variations and achieving an organic pattern which echoes nature.
Jack Slentz's turned wood "pods" are simple, majestic figures, imitating nature in both form and material, yet each with it's own individuality. These towering columns showcase the artist's attention to surface. Slentz "draws" in the wood, carving and burning a series of expressive gestural marks and creating a sense of movement, enhancing the natural beauty of the wood's grain.
Western North Carolina artist, Stoney Lamar sculpts sophisticated wood and steel compositions which resound with abstract motion. Tommie Rush produces elegant blown glass vessels with a sandblasted finish. Subdued yet brilliant, her forms are timeless.
For further information check our NC Commercial
Gallery listings or call 828/251-0202 or visit the gallery's website
at (http://www.bluespiral1.com).
Mailing Address: Carolina Arts, P.O. Drawer
427, Bonneau, SC 29431
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