Dan Friday & Thomas Stream: Spectrum

Opening Reception: First Thursday, September 1st 6-8pm

In September we present works by painter Thomas Stream (Sun’aq Aleut) and glassblower Dan Friday (Lummi), both contemporary artists who utilize bold, brilliant color to show their respect and love for their heritage and the environment around them.

We are proud to present a new exhibition by contemporary Aleut painter Thomas Stream, whom we have had the pleasure of representing for decades. Stream is renowned for his dazzlingly detailed gouache paintings of wildlife that combine pointillism, Audubon, and traditional Aleutian spiral-and-dot patterns. Inspired by the traditional hunting visors of his Aleutian ancestors, Stream uses those bright colors and swirling patterns on the ancient hats to render the wildlife of the Northwest and beyond.

Exhibition Dates:

September 1, 2016 - October 30, 2016

Involved Artists:

Thomas Stream, Dan Friday

Featured Works

 

 

sm-birdWe are proud to present a new exhibition by contemporary Aleut painter Thomas Stream, whom we have had the pleasure of representing for decades. Stream is renowned for his dazzlingly detailed gouache paintings of wildlife that combine pointillism, Audubon, and traditional Aleutian spiral-and-dot patterns. Inspired by the traditional hunting visors of his Aleutian ancestors, Stream uses those bright colors and swirling patterns on the ancient hats to render the wildlife of the Northwest and beyond.

Stream began the Aleutian Painting series in 1996, an exploration of natural forms, vivid colors and delicate patterns. This series is encapsulated by the phrase, “We are still here,” a simple—yet poignant and powerful—statement that sums up Stream’s outlook on his heritage and his artwork. The paintings in this show are continuations of this series. Using negative space, unexpected shapes, and his hair-thin brushes, Stream invites us into a world of vibrant color untouched by human presence.

sm-vaseDan Friday (Lummi) makes his official Stonington Gallery debut with this exhibition, though he is no stranger to the Seattle glass scene. He has been a gaffer with the Dale Chihuly team for over 15 yeas, as well as working with Paul Marioni, Preston Singletary, and James Mongrain, and has worked in the hotshops of Pilchuck Glass School and the Museum of Glass. He has been blowing glass in and around Washington for almost twenty years, and continues to hone his techniques and gather inspiration.

Friday grew up with revered Lummi weaver Fran James (1924-2013) as one of his Aunties, and he honors the Coast Salish craft of cedar bark weaving with his series of fused and blown mosaic baskets. Inspired by Coast Salish cedar bark baskets, Friday translates his Auntie’s legacy to a new medium and a new audience.

“Creativity was fostered in me by my family from an early age. Living without TV and knowing our rich cultural heritage of the Lummi Nation, meant that making things with our hands was a regular activity.

When I saw glass blowing for the first time, it felt as though I grew an inch! That is to say, a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders. I had finally figured out what I wanted to be when I grew up. This was no small feat for someone who, as a youth, was rebellious and misguided. Glass altered my life. In spite of my colorful past, and by the grace of a loving community, I found my passion in glass.”

-Dan Friday

Process

How are Friday’s mosaic baskets made? Watch this excellent video he produced in 2016 to learn more about this tricky technique of laying down mosaic pieces, heating them, and rolling them into shape. The result are baskets that are extremely thin and light, with organic shapes that catch the light in many angles. Click here to see the video.