The Edmonds Arts Commission and the Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation present an exhibit of glass mosaics by Cassandria Blackmore during August at the Frances Anderson Center, 700 Main St., Edmonds.
Traditional mosaic uses pieces of colored glass to create an image. Blackmore’s work is reverse painted – she paints on the back of the glass. The abstract work is done in washes of color echoing natural elements such as water, distant landscapes and microscopic biology. The figurative work takes an ancient form and reworks it to create modern images. The glass is then broken into thousands of shards. The paintings expand in size to leave room for the grout, which is tinted to become part of the painting. The surface of the work shimmers as light refracts off all the pieces, sometimes creating prisms.
Blackmore has been working with glass mosaic for 16 years and is acclaimed for her unconventional approach to the medium. She maintains a showroom in Seattle on Capitol Hill and a studio in Duvall.
“Utopian Dwellings: A Suis Generis Experience”: “Utopian Dwellings,” a multimedia art exhibition, runs through Aug. 2 in the Front Room at the Bayview Cash Store on Whidbey Island.
A playful showcase for artistic interpretations of architecture in general, the exhibit also features designs for building a facility to house the new nonprofit art and educational organization, Suis Generis.
Suis Generis, founded by artist KeKe Cribbs, will focus on art education and youth-based apprenticeship programs on Whidbey Island. Young people in the community will be trained to produce artist-designed wares for the wholesale and retail markets, providing jobs and life skills to those interested in the arts.
“Through Suis Generis, our goal is to create a successful cottage industry here on Whidbey Island and return the profits back into the community through job training and arts education,” Cribbs said.
The building will house an educational arts facility, gallery and space for an artist-in-residence program.
“Utopian Dwellings” features the work of local professional artists and high school students working in painting, architecture, photography, ceramics and sculpture.
The Bayview Cash Store, located at 5603 Bayview Road, is just seven miles from the Clinton ferry dock on Whidbey Island. Take Highway 525 to Bayview Road. Make a right onto Bayview Road; Bayview Corner is located at the next intersection, Marshview Avenue and Bayview Road. Call 360-321-4232 for information.
Computer block prints: The Edmonds Arts Commission presents an exhibit of computer block prints by Roy E. Hughes during August at the Edmonds Library.
Hughes pursued a career in public education for 20 years. He taught many subjects, including art, at the elementary and secondary levels. Later he obtained a master’s degree and then a doctorate in educational technology and communications, combining interests in art and technology and teaching multimedia and computer graphics courses at area community colleges. Refresher courses in painting and his love of hiking led him to paint scenes of the North Cascades and other landscapes in oil. From there he began creating such scenes on the computer in the form of digital block prints.
He finds inspiration for his work in the Japanese wood block prints by Hiroshige and Hosukai, and travel posters by Maurice Logan and Norman Fraser from the 1920s and ’30s.
Digital block prints look much like wood block and silk screen prints since they are made up of large, flat areas of bold color, creating the poster effect.
Hughes’ North Cascade digital block prints proved instrumental in earning his selection as artist-in-residence at Glacier National Park during July and August this year and leading to a series entitled “100 Views of Glacier National Park.”
“Return to the New World”: The August exhibit at the new Solovei Art Gallery in Everett is “Return to the New World” by Bezalel-Levy.
Bezalel-Levy is the signature of a collaboration between Chaim Bezalel and Yonnah Ben Levy, who are husband and wife. Based in Stanwood and Ashkelon, Israel, they produce originals, limited and open edition prints, illustrated books, art cards and posters through unique combinations of photography and painting. They have exhibited widely in Israel and the U.S.
This exhibit presents long horizontal and vertical scrolls, depicting scenes from the Pacific Northwest, the Catskill Region and the Gulf Coast, and combining photography and painting on rice paper, mounted on Belgian linen. Also featured are porcelain and ceramic vessels by Ben Levy.
An artists reception is set for 4 to 8 p.m. Aug. 5 at the gallery in the Everett Public Market, 2804 Grand Ave., Everett.
Dale Chihuly exhibit: Foster/White Gallery in Seattle’s Pioneer Square presents the work of internationally acclaimed glass artist Dale Chihuly in an exhibit opening Thursday. Known for his vibrant color and dramatic forms, Chihuly presents a range of work through Sept. 2 at the gallery at 220 Third Ave. S.
Chihuly fills Foster/White’s expansive new space with work from his Chandelier, Basket, Cylinder, Mille Fiori and Persian series. New variations on classic themes will be featured, including the exciting new Black Cylinders created in April by Chihuly and well-known artists Flora Mace, Joey Kirkpatrick and Richard Royal.
Twenty-six of Chihuly’s exuberant paintings will be featured on a 40-foot curved wall and his Black Basket series will debut. For the first time, Chihuly’s baskets will feature two colors and create a dramatic visual transition throughout the pieces.
An opening reception is set for 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday; 206-622-2833.
A detail from Cassandria Blackmore’s “Beautiful Orphan.”
Concrete and steel sculpture by Robbie Cribbs at “Utopian Dwellings” at the Bayview Cash Store.”
“Ferry at Friday Harbor,” Roy E. Hughes.
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