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!
The staff is busy installing our July exhibition, Hib Sabin’s “The Long Game”. The exhibit will open at 6pm on Thursday, July 6th, and we are excited to have the artist at the gallery for the celebration. Hib Sabin will give an informal exhibition tour at 7pm, free to attend. Along with opening the exhibit we will also be releasing the exhibit catalog, which is available in both print and digital forms. This catalog is only available through Stonington Gallery, and features photography and writing on the work.
The gallery has loaned a number of beautiful prints and sculptures to the White River Valley Museum in Auburn, WA for their upcoming exhibition “Salish Modern: Innovative Art with Ancient Roots.”