ICARUS WING AT THE BAINBRIDGE ISLAND MUSEUM OF ART

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SHANE MILLER AND CYNTHIA SEARS

I am so pleased to announce that my Icarus wing, titled IF FOUND RETURN TO ICARUS, is on display at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art from October through January. This is just the second round of exhibits in this wonderful new museum which is just a delight to explore.

The 20,000-square-foot art museum includes a reception area with a two-story atrium and grand staircase, seven formal galleries, two classrooms, a 95-seat auditorium, conference room, community gallery, bistro, museum store, and a green roof garden and patio. The focus is on contemporary work by artists from the Kitsap and Olympic peninsulas and the western Puget Sound region. We are so fortunate to have this museum in our own backyard and as an artist, I am so proud to be a small part of the whole.

This past Friday I traveled to Bainbridge with my friend Linda Jarvis and her sister, Wendy. We wanted an art day and none of us had yet seen the newest exhibition at the museum....so it seemed like the perfect place to go. Cynthia Sears, one of the founding board members of the museum, treated us to lunch in the newly opened bistro on the lower floor. The food....the conversation....the sharing of stories was just delicious. It was the kind of exquisite day that transforms into a long term memory. I managed to get my photo taken with Cynthia beside the Icarus Wing. She is a wonderful supporter of art and artists in general and it is because of her purchase that my Icarus Wing has a home in the museum.

On the first floor we were delighted by the work of Richard Jesse Watson. His exhibit is titled INNER ZOO : OUTER ORBIT. He is a children's book author and illustrator of the highest order. I loved his obvious imagination ...his found object sculptures ... and especially his industrial looking easel that is on display complete with goggles hanging from several rear view mirrors attached to the easel. I am a goggles girl all the way and I am pro almost anything with an industrial vibe ... so getting to see where he actually creates was a high point for me. Beyond his exhibit were the works of many more artists ... some new to me and some I have the pleasure of calling them my friend. Having a piece of my art here among all this incredible talent feels somehow beyond a dream. My work is among sweet company.

After lunch we wandered upstairs to the Sherry Grover Gallery and the newest exhibit called CHAPTER TWO. This space is all about artists made books. Cynthia has a large eclectic collection of artists made books and it is intriguing, to say the least, to get to spend a little time with them. It was fun to see Linda discover that she had two pieces of her art on display. A surprise to us all. And our mutual friend, Donna Snow, had her magnun opus book on display called FIGMENTOSUM OCEANUM. It is a large book with many two sided lose pages and could have been a real challenge to display but , of course, they pulled it off beautifully. My newly acquired photo etched book called A BOOK IS LIKE A GARDEN YOU CARRY IN YOUR POCKET was also on display.


I am newly intrigued with the whole idea of artist made books and to have one of my first attempts in this collection is thrilling. It, too, is in incredibly good company. Many of the books on display I have only previously seen in commercially printed books such as the LARK 500 HANDMADE BOOKS. To have the chance to see these books in person and to get a glimpse of the binding ... the content ... the craftsmanship ....well, all I can say is that it is a rich experience.

Also upstairs were the incredible paintings of landscape artist, Gayle Bard. After walking just a few paces into her exhibit we all realized that we were almost whispering ... there was such a feeling of reverence. Her work is large and meditative and memorable.

So, in the end, a good day was had by all.

LOOKING BACK

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It's been a couple of weeks since the Artist's Sale at GreyBird Barn and it seems like a good time to look back at the event ... dredge up some memories ... look at some fun photos ... and pat ourselves on the back just a little. If you were unable to attend ... and you missed out on the hot cider and homemade cookies ... and you didn't get a chance to visit with each artist ... then maybe these images will help soothe the disappointment. If that's the case, well, we sure did miss you and hope to see you next year if not sooner.


Sue explaining how she carefully harvests the cedar from her property.


So many details to study!!!


Diana hiding in the corner.


Linda Jarvis and friends.





This is me talking with my hand with my friend, Zo.


Part of my display.


Paula listing to the port side.


The motley crew...from left to right... Paula Gill ... Linda Jarvis ... Sue Skelly ... Diana Cronin ... Shane Miller ... Lynn Anju.


We like to call this image MOTHER AND CHILD.

CELEBRATE CHANGING OF THE SEASONS AT GREYBIRD BARN

This is a really nice article that was published in our local paper, THE LEADER, prior to the barn sale. Just wanted to share.


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Six local artists are featured at the fifth annual artist studio sale at Greybird Barn, held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 12-13. (Above) “Fishers” by Shane Miller.

Annual studio sale features six local artists
Greybird Barn, a rustic studio, is transformed into a charming gallery setting for the fifth annual artist studio sale, held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 12-13.

With a cup of hot cider and a homemade cookie in hand, there is no better way to visit with the six participating artists, learn about their techniques, celebrate the arrival of fall and watch the barn come alive with energy.

Greybird Barn is the working studio of Shane Miller; it is in this space that she creates photo-etched sterling silver jewelry and narrative wall-hung boxes. Longtime Greybird friends Lynn Anju, Diana Cronin and Linda Jarvis are joined this year by first-time participants Paula Gill and Sue Skelly.

Five years ago, Miller and artist Jarvis dreamed, schemed and gave birth to the idea of having a studio sale with friends. The rustic barn, the Farmall Cub tractor named Bliss and the old ’52 Dodge pickup called Baladeuce all lend their charm to the autumnal setting.

“Beyond our wildest dreams this event has turned into such a celebration and community gathering of like-minded people,” Miller says.

Greybird Barn is located at 11 Carroll Ave., off Highway 20 about three miles outside of Port Townsend. Visitors should watch for signs posted beside the road. A friendly crocodile sculpture welcomes guests with open arms to the property.

Paula Gill

Paula Gill of Red Step Studio in Bremerton creates handmade ceramic art tiles, with each one being an original that is carved by hand. These tiles depict scenes of birds, flowers and bugs in the garden, chickens and orca whales, and images that elicit fond memories of a favorite road trip. With a wire embedded in the back of each tile, they can be hung alone or in groups on an interior wall, or add a bright note of color to your garden fence and patio wall.

Sue Skelly

Sue Skelly of Poulsbo has been a collector of all things unique, eclectic and wonderful since an early age. One thing she simply can’t pass by are vintage buttons of all kinds. Skelly fashions these buttons into unique and charming necklaces and can often pass along some history about the buttons in each creation.

She is also an artist born of the land. Skelly uses cedar in all its forms to create pillows, larger-than-life carved sewing needles, spheres, ornaments for the garden and more. Unique would be an understatement in describing her work.

Lynn Anju

Using techniques such as photo etching and enameling, Lynn Anju creates beautifully crafted jewelry and etched metal items for the home. All of her designs originate as drawings, which are then transferred to the various metals and etched using an electrolytic process that involves saltwater and a charger. Anju’s inspiration comes from the natural world, medieval European tapestries and armor.

Diana Cronin

Diana Cronin of Egg and I Pottery is known for her bright colors and energetic designs.

From her studio, located on historic Egg and I Road in Chimacum, Cronin hand-throws functional porcelain pots on a potter’s wheel and then carefully decorates each piece with food-safe glazes. Her love of color comes from having grown up in Miami, Fla., where she spent most of her free time snorkeling around coral reefs and studying marine specimens.

Her style is one of a kind, and her bright palette has become her signature.

Linda Jarvis

Each year, Linda Jarvis looks forward to this gathering of artists and community. “It has been wonderful to see how it has evolved over the years since its inception,” Jarvis says. “The environment that is created within this setting is fun and energizing.”

Her background in commercial art and her studies in the fine arts have provided her with a broad mix of disciplines and media. Painting animals and working with a collection of reusable found objects, Jarvis juxtaposes them into assemblages and sculpture, often with a hint of humor and a bit of mystery.