After spending a day working in my hotel room in Anchorage, I enjoyed spending several hours with my mother-in-law, Carol. The highlight of our afternoon was a trip to the Anchorage Museum to see the 28th biennial Earth, Fire & Fibre exhibit. As always, these artworks by Alaskans from around the state were varied and wonderful. I enjoy them not only for their own sakes, but also for the inspiration I derive from them. I am also inspired to think that perhaps there's a chance I could have a piece accepted into a future show. This year, I particularly enjoyed the that my friend Maria Shell had three art quilts accepted into this juried exhibition.
There were a few pieces that particulary captured my attention.
This piece is Duo and Trio by Susanne Ratcliffe Wilson of Homer. It's fused glass with the design done in glass powder, so it naturally caught my attention, but what I really noted was the steel frame it was mounted in. I'm always looking for new ways to mount or present my work, and I like this one. I especially like that Thane could make the frames for me.
I took a photo of Cove Reflection by Toni Maury of Anchorage for the same reason. The porcelain tiles that comprise this piece are adhered to plywood painted black. It's a mosaic without the grout. I could easily do glass mosaics the same way - much simpler than grouting!
Of all the pieces I wanted to take home with me, and there were several, Snowy Owl by Carol Lewando of Anchorage was my favorite. It's a simple but elegant fused glass piece that had been slumped over a mold to form a mask. Absolutely wonderful, but beyond my price range.
If you have an opportunity to see this show at the Anchorage Museum, I highly recommend it. There are works in pottery, wood, fiber, bone, glass and more. The talent presented by Alaskan artists is simply amazing.
