Back in July we had a visit from glassblower Raven Skyriver (Tlingit) who had just finished a multi-day blow at the Museum of Glass. He stopped by with the newly blown sculptures to give us a peek at what we might see in our September exhibition.
As September draws near and each piece is completed, we’re starting to see the fruits of Raven’s labors. A lot of work goes into the pieces even after they are blown: when they’re cracked off the pipe each one is left with a bit of extra glass on it that must be ground off. Some are sandblasted to give them a matte finish, while others–such as Raven’s whales–need careful sand-carving by an expert cold-worker (usually Seattle-based Ethan Stern) to give them their ventral pleats beneath their jaws. Then, Raven must create custom iron stands for every piece, and a carved-foam box to lay it in. Is there anything this guy can’t do?
Keep your eyes on the “Raven Skyriver: SURGE” exhibition page throughout August and September, as we update it with incoming works. And join us for the opening, September 7th, 6-8pm!
