Cobi Cockburn

Winter Grass

The artist

Shifting Fields

Bound

Autumn Light

Pictures from the Sabbia Gallery

I saw a showing of Cobi Cockburns work at the Bullseye Gallery in Portland. I was walking by and these, what I thought of as delicate canoes, where glowing through the window. The gallery was not brightly lit and the pieces were lit from below. I later found out the artist had based the form of these pieces on basketry and the texture and color from natural grasses.

What she says about her work: "In producing this body of work, it was important to me to combine this fascination with my personal experience as a young mother and artist and produce tactile glass objects that echoed life and celebrated growth within this rich landscape."

Cobi Cockburn is a young Australian glass artist. She has won the 2006 Ranamok Glass Prize and the 2007 Talente Prize for Glass. If you would like to read more about this collection or see more images, head to http://www.sabbiagallery.com/

Little Tiny Pieces of Glass

Anna Skibska is a Polish artist who makes amazing large sculptures from little tiny pieces of glass. The last picture is from her show at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma. I remember standing in front of her sculptures, very tempted to touch, and thinking, "I can't believe someone hasn't broken one of these." My other thought was, "How in the world do they ship these to the museum without them breaking." Really - I'm still pondering this one.

They look like glass clouds to me.

On Vetri's website, a gallery in Seattle, I found this about her work: Marge Levy wrote of Anna Skibska, "In her hands, glass becomes line and form, strong and fragile, enormous and delicate. In her mind, the dualities of life are dignified and celebrated in sculptural forms - most of which are life size, confrontational, and connected to the human spirit through their scale and physical presence."

If you want to see more of her work , past and present...and the past work is nothing like the present, visit www.annaskibska.com

Karen LaMonte: Glass Dresses

Karen LaMonte is amazing! This is one exhibit at MOG that I didn't get to see and I am still kicking myself!! I have no idea how she gives a hard, unforgiving substance like glass such a soft, flowing feel. I love it! To learn more about the artist and her work, visit her website: http://www.karenlamonte.com/

Stanislav Libenske & Jaroslava Brychtova

I'm not a huge modern art lover. It's a 50/50 thing with me. But, I have to say the modern glass artwork of Stanislaw Libenske and Jaroslava Brychtova is amazing. Seeing it in person at MOG was what made me love it. The light just glows from inside the glass. I like the picture with the people, because you can get an idea of the scale of their work and what it looks like in a gallery.

Pilchuck Glass School

Pilchuck Glass School is in Stanwood, Washington. Its location in the forest is BEAUTIFUL! It was founded in 1971 by Dale Chihuly, Ann Gould Hauberg, and John H. Hauberg. It is the "largest, most comprehensive educational center for artists working in glass" in the world.

I visited the school a few years ago and, again, could have been there ALL DAY. The school is open to the public once a year and I have to say hoards of people come to check it out. But it's not so crazy with crowds that you won't enjoy yourself. The buildings are rustic looking and set in this beautiful landscape. The hot shop is my favorite..or maybe the casting shop...or the hot shop.... The hot shop is the round building you see in the picture - all sides open to the air. During the open house day - you can sit and watch artists blow glass - and its amazing.

This year the open house is Sunday, July 12, noon - 5pm. Admission is $20 per person with kids under 12 free. If you want to attend, definitely visit their website and fill out your registration form. Organized group tours are also offered on Tuesdays, March - May, for a $30 fee - details on their website. Visit www.pilchuck.com for more info, more pictures, etc.

Visit the Hot Shop

The Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington is one of my favorite places to visit. I became a big fan of glass blowing quite a few years ago, and was very excited when the museum opened.

I have seen some wonderful exhibits at MOG. Big solid slabs of glass that force the light to works its way through its mass only to cause a glow from within. Big massive sculptures made from thousands of tiny fragile pieces of glass that look as if they would break if I breathe to hard on them. I am now waiting with baited breath for the 2010 exhibit: Preston Singletary: Echoes, Fire, and Shadows. Glass work with a serious Native American bent. Beautiful.

My favorite part about visiting MOG is sitting in the hot shop and watching the team of glass blowers create whatever comes to mind. The teamwork is amazing. I always want to ask them if they have lost all fear of being burned. I could seriously watch all day...and I mean ALL DAY.

So, if your driving north or just want to take a day trip - consider MOG. You can hit MOG, Tacoma Art Museum, and Washington State History Museum all in the same area of town - Tacoma's Museum District. www.museumofglass.com

Beach Music

The beach is my favorite place. Waves crashing, seagulls squawking, the briny smell; its a feast for the senses. I'm due for a trip to the coast.

This picture is of the Twin Rocks. I have grown up with these beauties just down the path from my Grandparents house. All these years and they still impress me. I always wanted to walk out to them and touch their surface, or take a boat and sail through the eye of the rock. On the two days a month of spring tides, when the water is especially low, I find myself chanting, "a little more....a little more", hoping the water will go out far enough to walk to the rocks. I know it will never happen, but a girls gotta try, right?

On the solstice the sun sets in the exact center of the eye. Hoards of people venture onto the beach with camera in hand and wait for the perfect moment to take the perfect picture.

Depending on the angle, these rocks change shape. A northward view takes away their bulk, but offers you the only chance to see the backside. A westward take on the rocks reduces the size of the hole. Ever changing...like the sands.

The beach is always changing. Every time I visit, something has moved, disappeared, or found its way to the dunes....finding it's place for the moment, resting until the waves or the winds move it along.

I'm not much for change - perhaps I should take a lesson.