Aqua Alta: Raven Skyriver and Kelly O’Dell
07/03/2025 - 07/31/2025
Raven Skyriver (Tlingit) and Kelly O’Dell (Non-Indigenous) are not only partners in life but also in art, and will be featured together in a highly anticipated exhibition at Stonington Gallery this month. Both artists are celebrated for their masterful work in glass, a medium they skillfully manipulate to capture the dynamic essence of Pacific Northwest aquatic life. Their shared practice draws on the legacy of glass as a vessel of knowledge, particularly the traditions of the Venetian glass industry, whose lineage of teachers and techniques continues to inform and inspire their work. This exhibition pays homage not only to the craft and its generational transmission, but also to our earth’s ever-shifting environmental realities—rising sea levels, changing oceans, and the fragile ecosystem impacted directly by the actions of human beings.
Raven Skyriver draws deeply from his upbringing in the Pacific Northwest, where formative experiences with local wildlife and the surrounding waters continue to inspire his art. Skyriver seeks to capture the true essence of the animals he depicts, inviting viewers to connect with these creatures and reconsider the fragile balance of nature. His work reflects a profound respect for and detailed rendering of our marine world and encourages a renewed appreciation for the natural wonders often taken for granted or overlooked.
Kelly O’Dell developed a fascination with mortality and the traces life leaves behind at a young age growing up in Hawaii. In her work, she explores themes of extinction, preservation, memento mori, and the delicate balance of nature. Glass’s physical properties—its fragility as well as its strength—allow her to evoke vulnerability and impermanence, resilience, and survival. The ability of this material to endure intense transformation is a parallel to how the artwork itself as a whole becomes a beautiful representation of our borrowed time.
Skyriver and O’Dell’s sculptures embody the essential fluidity and beauty of the natural world, while also serving as a harbinger to humans that if we do not change our ways, this beautiful world and these extraordinary creatures will not survive all of the enormous changes they face.
Stonington Gallery exhibits an exciting collection of contemporary masterworks from the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Serving Seattle since 1979, the gallery is respected for the depth and quality of its collection, exceptional service and knowledgeable staff. For visitors wishing to understand the character of Seattle and the wider Northwest Coast, our gallery is a rich cultural introduction, and proof of the vibrant, living Indigenous cultures and artists of our region. Our mission is to provide the ideal environment for the presentation, enjoyment and understanding of premier contemporary art of the Pacific Northwest Coast and Alaska, and to foster greater appreciation for these artforms and the artists who make them. Our commitment to educating the public and advancing the appreciation of Northwest Coast art has led us to exhibit at museums, convention centers, government buildings, SeaTac airport, the Seattle Aquarium, art fairs, and Nantes, France.