Friday, June 10, 2011

Summer Lights



The newly renamed DUTHIE GALLERY is preparing a show of special magnificence for this summer. Lighting up July 1st , after dark, the new Summer Lights show at the NIGHT GALLERY is dazzling and the rare experience of illuminated art in nature, in the DARK -- is delightful. This year the show features:
an elegant medley of Peter Pierobon lanterns (Illuminati), a monumental new landscape installation by Brent Comber (The Sentinels), and lots of fabulous and original light creations by Judson Beaumont (& his crew at Straight Line Design) and Camosun master craftsman, Ken Guenter.

The most noticeable change at the gallery is the expansion of the outdoor exhibits and the creation of the NIGHT GALLERY. Landscape art has become the consuming passion at the Duthie Gallery; inspired by sculpture parks from Storm King in New York, Fondation Maeght in St. Paul de Vence, France, Fundación Montenmedio Arte Contemporáneo in Vejer de la Frontera, Spain, and by the numerous displays of public art from Regents Park Frieze show to Vancouver’s Biennale. In the past several years the outdoor exhibition has spread over approximately 7 acres including the 2 acres around the gallery where the Summer Lights show takes place and in the nearby Hastings House and Harbour House fields where Michael Dennis' monumental figures loom. Art in nature enhances nature and is itself enhanced by it.



The name change also signifies a shift in focus at the gallery from old style fine furniture to the dynamic and sophisticated Vancouver studio furniture movement which is distinguished by original design, distinctive styles and innovative use of materials. And, now freed from our former designation (Salt Spring Woodworks), we have expanded the collection to include work in other materials: beautiful bronzes by Michael Dennis, stately stone benches by Ron Crawford and Terry Bieman, stunning glass and wood designer furniture by Jess and Nicolas Meyers and Sabina Hill and woodblock prints by Richard Tetrault.

The first Summer Lights show in 2010 was a hit. Visitors came again and again, hung around for a long time, brought their friends, bought art. Brent Comber’s Shattered Spheres were hot. This year the Night Gallery will be open 5 nights a week, 9 - 11 PM --Thursday through Monday nights throughout July and August, for enhanced nighttime viewing of the Summer Lights 2011 show.



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