Photography, Oils and Mixed Media

Blue Heron Gallery Opening:
Friday, June 4
6 to 9 pm

Trio of Artists show in July

Three women artists in three mediums––July brings a richly eclectic exhibition to Blue Heron Gallery: photography by Vashon artist Shelley Hanna, forged copper sculpture by Deby Harvey and oil painting by Tove Pisarelle.

Photography propels Hanna through difficult times, she comments, by the joy she finds through documenting the beauty found in everyday moments. Growing up in Michigan, Hanna moved to the Northwest to attend Evergreen State College where she majored in film and video. Later, Seattle provided ample opportunity to work in film. Seven years ago, she and her husband moved to Vashon two weeks after an inspired day trip to the island. Now the mother of a five year old, Hanna has returned to photography – mostly color – using a Panasonic DSCR or Leica (when using film).

Shooting simply, Hanna’s work ranges from abstract to people to recognizable objects. “These things offer hidden secrets; it’s easy to become disheartened in this world and photography reminds me that everywhere there is something beautiful. It’s about ‘showing up’ for life.” Hanna started a blog 3 years ago (saviorstrength.com) where she posts a daily photograph. She recently wrote 22 Degree Halo, a post-apocalyptic robot love story. Hanna’s goal is to publish the book on a letterpress with all-original art. She has shown her photographs at Vashon Tea Shop; this is her first gallery exhibition.

Seattle native Tove Pisarelle was a flight attendant for nearly 20 years before becoming a serious painter. With patience and fortitude, Pisarelle aspired toward her fine arts degree for 10 years; in 2003 she received her BFA in Painting and Drawing from Cal State Long Beach. Returning to the Northwest, she submitted work for juried exhibitions and is now represented by Semantics, an Edmonds gallery.

Training in classical Italian Renaissance provides the foundation for her work, contemporary landscapes on birch panel or canvas. “I always wanted to do more landscape, so that’s my primary focus,” she notes. Ethereal and atmospheric, Pisarelle’s land, water and sky paintings emote calm repose without humans or buildings. Earlier work relied exclusively on direct observation; she began interpreting more, and now paints purely from imagination. Inspired by American painter George Ennis and contemporary landscape painters Barry Masteller and Lloyd Blakley, Pisarelle says she loves the sensuality and color she can achieve with oils.

As a potter and landscape architect, Deby Harvey built water features using copper and became intrigued with manipulating copper into sculptural forms. Now she creates mixed-media forged sculptures that incorporate copper tube wire, semiprecious stones, natural elements such as birds’ nests or lichen and other found objects.

Harvey loves how one thing leads to another. For the Blue Heron exhibition, she has created a new hanging series, “Thoughts.” Vertical copper spirals entwining leaf and pod shapes, 18 in. to 2 ft. long, will be suspended from the gallery ceiling. The artist starts with flat copper sheet and through a sequential, time-consuming process heats and pounds copper into organic sculptural shapes. Designed for indoor use, sculptures may also be displayed outside. “I like using a medium that continues changing even after I’m done with it,” adds Harvey. “I want my work to reflect nature’s energy and fullness; I like that interplay and tension between nature’s complexity and simplicity.”

2010 BLUE HERON GALLERY SHOWS

January Penny Grist (Mixed Media Sculpture)
Larry Muir (Jewelry)
February Rob Snyder (Glass)
March Matt Vogt (Photography)
Suze Woolf (Watercolor)
Dave and Boni Deal (Raku Pottery)
April Tapestry Artists of Puget Sound (Tapestry)
May Kira Bacon (Fiber)
Erin Schulz (Classical Realism Painting)
June Quartermaster Press (Printmaking)
July Shelley Hanna (Photography)
Tove Pisarelle (Oil Painting)
Deby Harvey (Mixed Media Metal)
August Don Cole (Acrylic Painting)
Francie Allen (Wire Sculpture)
September Art Auction
October Tile Guild (Group Show)
November Victoria Adams (Oil and Wax Paintings)
December Masters in Miniature (Group Show)