Shown are pottery works by Colette Oliver, the featured artist at the Juneau Artists Gallery for September.
Work by Henri Wells will be shown this month at the JAHC Gallery
Story last updated at 9/1/2010 - 12:10 pm
On the first Friday of each month, Juneau galleries, museums and shops stay open late and host show and exhibit openings, artist meet-and-greets and more. Following is information about events available as of press time. All events and openings listed are on Friday, September 3 unless otherwise noted. To have your event listed here next month, e-mail details to editor@capweek.com no later than one week prior.
The Franklin Street Gallery at the Baranof Hotel
The Franklin Street Gallery at the Baranof Hotel is pleased to feature new ceramic works by James Voelckers from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. Pianist Tom Locher will play during the opening and art enthusiasts are invited to join us. James Voleckers is an active member of Alaska Blue Clay studios and produces fine art ceramics in Douglas, Alaska. James graduated from Whitman College in 2005. He received a BFA in Studio Art with an emphasis on drawing & painting. He operated the Blue Clay Gallery in the Emporium Mall in 2006 and has been actively showing in Juneau for over 9 years. All of his ceramics are bisque fired in an electric kiln and glaze fired in a gas reduction kiln. The ceramic creative process is wrought with hazards such as, temperature, humidity, pushing the elastic clay form beyond it's strength, unsatisfactory glaze combinations and thermal shock, which can destroy up to half of the attempts. What you will see in the Franklin Street Gallery at the Baranof Hotel, September 3 - 28 are some of James' successful and beautiful survivors. Also this First Friday: Tom Locher is a well-known and appreciated local pianist who brings his jazz interpretations to the First Friday festivities. An exhibit of five local artists, Constance Baltuck, Barbara Craver, Cristine Crooks, Pua Maunu and Jane Stokes, including their new work, is also on display.
Baranof: 127 North Franklin Street.
The Ruby Room at the Emporium Mall
The Ruby Room will present "Sketches for Okie Pie," paintings and drawings on wood by Sarah Maria Conarro from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. The series features smaller works reflecting and honoring the nine-month process of childbearing work abstracts and figures in ink, acrylic and photo transfer. Sarah Conarro grew up in north Georgia near Atlanta in a quaint gold mining town called Dahlonega. Closing in on her fifth year in Alaska, Sarah remains a sweet tea lover but now wears Xtratufs. For the past few years Sarah has focused on raising her lovely daughter and now all energy is directed to number two...nameless, but dubbed "Okie" by Margot, big sister age 3. If for no other reason, come to the show to support the Conarro/Steadman family and throw a name suggestion for "Okie" into the hat.
The Ruby Room is located at 174 South Franklin Street, in the Emporium Mall by Lucid Reverie, between Heritage Coffee and the Nickelodeon Theater.
Juneau Artists Gallery
Potter Colette Oliver is the featured artist at the Juneau Artists Gallery for September, and will be showing a new "lichen" glaze design she has developed. Colette will be present in the gallery during from 4:30-7 p.m.
Many things influence Colette's work consciously and subconsciously. Her pottery has always reflected her environment to some degree, as she feels it should.
Fairly new to Alaska, Colette has lived in Juneau for 5 years. She moved from the desert of Nevada and states "water, or the lack of it, is ever-present in my thoughts. I use porcelain clay and have developed a new lichen glaze to visually describe both the dry, cracked desert landscape along with the cracking, breaking ice on the waters of Alaska".
Colette's other pottery designs, which include earthy greens and browns with bear track design, bright blue and lime combination, glacier ice blue glaze, and halibut spoon rests will be available in the gallery also.
Pottery is functional art to use and enjoy every day. Colette's hands have been "in the mucky stuff since I was about sixteen, and I can't imagine a time when they will not be" she states. Her pottery is lead-free, and microwave, oven, and dishwasher safe. Most of her work is thrown on a potter's wheel, while some pieces are built from slabs. All the glazes are made by hand from ground raw materials, metal oxides and stains.
Colette's work will continue to be displayed all month along with the work of the other 25 member artists at the gallery.
Juneau Artists Gallery: 175 South Franklin Street.
The Canvas Community Art Studio & Gallery
The Canvas will open its new exhibit of the art of Avery Skaggs from 4:30-7 p.m.
Born and raised in Juneau, Avery Skaggs, 23, has been finger painting ever since he could sit upright. He joined the Canvas Community Art Program in 2009 and now paints in various mixed media including; water color, acrylic, and glass. Avery is most influenced by bold colors. The use of fiber "brushes" including frayed rope and yarn, add a unique feel to his work which is only obtained by using his hands.
Except for one commissioned painting "4th of July" his works are untitled. Avery prefers the caption to come from the person viewing his work.
Avery's brain has only 15% of the necessary myelin to allow him full motor function. As a result, he experiences cerebral palsy and is quadriplegic. Being non-verbal, he communicates with eye gazes, expressions, and noises.
This show is a celebration of how far not only Avery has come as an artist, but also how far art has come in our community. This is a show that powerfully depicts the triumph of an individuals' self expression, despite the challenges of living with multiple disabilities. This is a type of show that hopefully inspires all of us who aren't artists to find our own expression.
In addition to Avery's paintings are photographs by Marilyn Holmes showing Avery's process and the way in which the Canvas staff work with Avery. Yet another synergy of art!
The Canvas: 223 Seward Street.
Heritage 2nd Street Cafe
Heritage 2nd Street Cafe will host the first exhibit in Juneau for artist Kerry Kirkpatrick. Kerry works to capture the ethereal qualities of light, clouds, water, and shadows in watercolor. She paints landscapes from the Juneau area, Bristol Bay where she fishes in the summer, and scenes of life in Mexico where she spends a couple of months in the winter.
Heritage: 216 Second Street.
Silverbow
Silverbow will present the opening of "Art of Recovery," a new exhibit of art inspired by the process of recovery from alcoholism, drug abuse, or mental illness. The reception will be held from 5-7 p.m. in the Silverbow Back Room.
Silverbow: 120 Second Street.
JAHC Gallery at the Juneau Arts & Culture Center
Henri Wells from Juneau will be the featured artist at the JAHC Gallery at the Juneau Arts & Culture Center in September. A self taught artist she has been sketching, drawing and painting for over forty-five years. Henri's work is influenced by abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock. "I realized you can do whatever you want to, and that I was not limited to trees, mountains or flowers." Henri's preference has always been inanimate objects; expressing herself through color, line direction, shape and feelings. She finds her inspiration in nature, structures or live forms: "It can be color on a rusty tin roof or how the light hits a telephone wire or even dreams. Color is the most important aspect of my paintings and I truly feel that color can make your room come alive." The exhibition opens to the public with a reception 4:30 - 7 p.m., and will run through September 27th.
JAHC: 350 Whittier Street.
Hearthside Books (downtown)
Stop by and say hello to Aldona Jonaitis as she signs her new book, "Totem Poles: An Intercultural History," from 4:30-7 p.m. at the downtown Hearthside Books.
Aldona, former director of the University of Alaska Museum of the North, is an expert on the art and culture of Native Americans, especially in Alaska and the Northwest Coast.
Aldona has a Ph.D. in Native American Art history from Columbia University, and has written many books and articles about Northwest Coast Native art. She has taught Native American, African, Oceanic and Pre-Columbian art history, Northwest Coast ethnology, and museum representation at Stony Brook University, Columbia University, University of Alaska Fairbanks and Stanford University. She has been elected to serve on the boards of the American Association of Museums, ICOM U.S.A., Western Museums Association, National Science Collections Alliance, and the Native American Art Studies Association.
Hearthside Books: 254 Front Street.
