So many talented artists in one place! So much artwork from around the world.
Always a wonderful evening of art in Chicago. Especially fun when it’s the VIP Opening Night Party! Sure, the art is great… but the snacks & dessert spread are even more yummy!
One of the best parts of SOFA is checking in with some of “My Talented Friends” who are exhibiting there. Like Steve Lee who was one of my former teachers at Lillstreet several years ago. Now he’s a “big wig” in the clay community running the Archie Bray in Montana. All the while making these wonderfully beautiful & intricate porcelain vases with intricate decoration… and then smashed, exploded & otherwise “altered.”
Another firmer Lillstreet artist is glass artist Amy LeMaire. She taught me glass bead making back in the day. My friend Pam Robinson & I decided to take a class with Amy before she moved, but the Beginning glass class was already full. So we just “jumped” up to the Intermediate class as though we thought we knew what we were doing. Sure, Amy was teaching us MUCH more basic things, but look how incredible her glass work is now. Incredible wearable jewelry handmade in glass.
Always a favorite at SOFA… Steffen Dam once again had these incredible glass sculptures. I’ve admired them for years… I think it might have something to do with my fascination with roadkill?!
I was also drawn to these colored porcelain wall sculptures. Layers of colored clay meticulously assembled, and then carved on the inside. Notice how thin & translucent it is on the inside. Unfortunately, I don’t recall who made these… my bad.
Jason Robert Griego had some of my favorite sculptures. These bronze pieces had such wonderful expressions and colored patinas. Might be my obsession with all things rusty that drew me to these?…
And I especially loved this one… the curvy, gestural stance. Somehow reminded me of something you might see at Cirque du Soleil.
Okay, I’ll admit it right now… I don’t understand glass blowing. Sure, I know the basics. I’ve seen it done live. And yet somehow it’s still “magical” to me. How do you take something molten, liquid, flaming hot, glowing orange, hanging on the end of a tube… and somehow turn it into these wonderfully “perfect” geometric shapes? How does that happen?! Surprisingly, I was explaining my fascination to my friend Elena as we were overheard by the artist Nancy Callan. She asked if I wanted an explanation… I said “no” – I didn’t want to ruin my magical fascination!
And speaking of glass… Amber Cowan makes these wonderfully detailed floral pieces. Love the idea, and couldn’t resist thinking that these could also be made out of clay… with great textures, patterns, stamps, etc… I’m just sayin’….
I’ve seen these beauties before, and am still AMAZED by them. For anyone who has fired clay, you know that it tends to “slump” a bit when fired in the kiln. And you may also know how difficult it is to throw porcelain. And how fragile it is when you’re working with it. All of that thrown together makes these pieces incredible!!! Thank you Jennifer McCurdy.
Yasuko Sakurai also works with porcelain… also beautiful… but in this case, I must admit that I was more intrigued by the shadow that it was throwing on the pedestal.
Nuala O’Donovan from Ireland makes these beautiful sculpture pieces. I love how it is both solid, and hollow at the same time. Catching the light as well as having dark voids inside at the same time.
We’ve all seen this type of glass sculpture before… but I was intrigued by these ones by Niyoko Ikuta and the repetitive patterns that draw you right inside of the piece.
This lenticular portrait was oddly mesmerizing as well. It kind of moved as you walked past… but upon closer inspection, you could see that it was made out of corks, bottle caps, light bulbs and other collected oddities! Sorry… artist unknown…
Lastly, one of the most endearing glass sculptures were made by Emily Brock. These miniature “rooms” are all made of glass… every single, teeny-tiny little detail… ALL GLASS. Amazing details.
So that’s it for my quick “trip” through SOFA Chicago for this year. There are FAR too many beautiful things to see. You can’t stop and take pictures of everything. Guess I’ll need to go again next year to share more…
SOFA Chicago is open all weekend : Friday, Saturday & Sunday on Navy Pier.
For more information, click here.