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L I N D A J A R V I S
Studies in commercial art, design and illustration at the Burnley School of Professional Art in Seattle have provided me with a broad background in various disciplines and media. Working in mixed media and giving new life to reusable objects, has offered endless influence for exploration and experimentation for creative expression. My studio sits within wooded acreage on a hilltop in Chimacum, Washington where observations of the natural world and my own sense of wonder therein are ingredients for my inspirations in constructing sculptures and assemblages. Usually initiated by an image, thought or title idea, my work then evolves spontaneously unveiling a story or vignette often augmented by my illustrations and paintings of wildlife. My intent is to depict an aliveness, often times with humor, while balancing realism with fantasy.
S H A N E M I L L E R
From my studio in Port Townsend, WA, I create jewelry and narrative art boxes using a photo-etching technique. With the exception of a single etching workshop, I am self taught. For twelve years I was a sculptor and printmaker. My current body of work is an offspring of those two art forms. Each piece feels like a small sculpture and the etched surface is a direct product of printmaking. Pattern and texture become my palette more than color. I am also drawn to words and narrative and a good story. While choosing imagery for a piece of jewelry or one of my boxes, I have the privilege of beginning a story that someone else gets to finish. My jewelry might not be considered precious due to a lack of gems and gold but when a favorite piece is found at the back of the sock drawer three years lost, my hope is that the finder will feel as though they have discovered a treasure. The narrative art boxes, like the jewelry, are heirloom pieces made to be passed on through generations.
H E L G A W I N T E R
I hand turn unseasoned, salvaged, local Pacific Madrone (arbutus menziesii) on a wood lathe. Green Madrone, a wood that is unpredictable, is my favorite turning wood.
The drying process is delicate, referring to a sense of mystery, balance, the fragility of life and a sense of movement. I attempt to create objects that are pleasant to be with, invite to be touched, held and inquired. The process of my work is a self-discovery. The pieces are felt and become known to me only to be discovered anew through the beholder’s imagination that decides and investigates the function of the piece. Using dyes and patterns are inviting a closer look and investigation: Is it glass? Is it a gourd? Is it wood? What does the spheroid look like inside – is it smooth, rough, natural, dyed or even patterned – what creates the sound it makes? Vessel and spheroid, when given a new appearance, allow a quiet conversation to take place. Who am I really? How does my appearance, my attitude effect my inner being? Do they enhance the self or cover it up?Through these processes I strive to show the pureness of the wood – the essence of being.
