Nature has always been a great inspiration for artists. This of course includes birds. The interpretation of the bird has varied across the world and through different artist’s eyes. If you love animals, you will enjoy stopping into these two galleries to see what artists Lou Adams from The Ascending Spirit Gallery and Jennifer O’Cualain of Mountain Trails Gallery, have been up to. At The Ascending Spirit Gallery within Sedona, Arizona's Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village, Lou Adams practices the ancient tradition of hand folding Japanese papers into cranes. These cranes, a representation of peace, long life and good fortune, can be viewed throughout the gallery. Adams folds over 1000 cranes every year with an offering of a wish to be granted. For her, the folding of the cranes is an act of praying for peace in troubled times. Lou Adams states, "When I first learned to fold a peace crane, I became obsessed and couldn't stop folding. I thought I could fold enough to prevent war. After the war began, I realized folding was a way of holding peace in the moment. I began praying. I have been folding for 9 years. As time passes, it becomes more important to hold a space for peace." The cranes represented in The Ascending Spirit Gallery are made of gorgeous bark from the Mulberry tree. The papers are then silk-screened in Japan with beautiful colors, including gold and silver highlights. In addition to the paper birds, elements of: gold, silver, glass beads, bone and semi-precious stones are also worked into the art. While in Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village, also visit Mountain Trails Gallery, to see the work of Jennifer O’Cualain. O’Cualain’s influence from wildlife ranges from birds to bison. Her portraits of animals display each animal’s natural characteristics in the wild. O’Cualain shares that each creature has its own personality and she looks to develop scenes that exemplify these human emotions. Jennifer states, “I am also a bit of an anthropomorphist. The feel of fur under your hand is a relatively universal goal, but I want my viewer to get a sense of the individual animal. Traveling has allowed me to get close to animals in the wild in a way like I’d never expected. Last year I stood 10 feet away from a mature Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep while visiting Glacier National Monument. He stood only briefly while I stared in awe. I could see deep into his big dark eyes. This majestic wild animal had no fear of me, in fact, I almost felt as if he were as curious about me as I was about him. I feel an absolutely real sense that there is much more communication between humans and animals than anyone really considers.” Mountain Trails Gallery is located at 336 AZ-179, Suite A201, in Sedona, Arizona.
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With the holidays right around the corner, buying gifts for those people in your life who have everything can be intimidating. Although, a gift from an artist is unique, often one of its kind and a talking piece for years to come. Many believe galleries sell items above their budget, but in Sedona, Arizona, there are price points for every person on your gift list. Start your shopping search off at Sedona’s ALT Gallery. For the friend or family member with eclectic taste, a love of vintage LPs, hard to find books or other unique estate art – this is the place. The ALT Gallery, located at 2301 AZ-89A Suite 102, is in West Sedona and tucked in to a row of storefronts. The owner of the ALT Gallery, has been curating vintage books and records for many years and now has over 5000 in his collection. With an understanding of all things vintage, you will also obtain the history of all items within the space. Next, if you have a family member or friend who loves their garden or outdoor space, then you must visit Vue Gallery in Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village. Vue Gallery has one of the largest selections of outdoor and wind sculptures available in Sedona. Each piece was hand-crafted by an artist, and is unique from the next. The most popular collection of outdoor art includes Lyman Whitaker’s wind sculptures. Whitaker is internationally renowned for his sculptures. Many pieces of his work are installed as public art around the world. Sculptures are made of copper, steel and stainless steel. A patina is applied to each piece to encourage the natural verdigris of weathered copper. Sculptures come with steel ground mounts or deck mounts for patio placement. Spending time in these two art galleries are guaranteed to please the modern shopper. Be sure to add them to your list when visiting Sedona, Arizona. |
AuthorSedona Gallery Association Archives
January 2020
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