Volcano Art Center’s 2020 Exhibition Schedule
January 11th – February 16th, 2020
Sharp Turns
Location: Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
Volcano Art Center is proud to announce the exhibition Sharp Turns: The Creative Art of Woodturning featuring the fine art of Aaron Hammer and Mark and Karen Stebbins. The exhibit will open to the public January 11th and will continue through February 16th, 2020 from 9am -5pm daily at the Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, park entrance fees apply. An opening reception with the artists will take place on Saturday, January 11th from 5-7pm.
“The exhibition Sharp Turns represents a small sampling of the extremely talented wood turners of Hawai’i Island”, states Gallery Manager Emily Weiss. “Living close to their source of native hardwoods, what often begins as a hobby turns into a life time pursuit for many woodworkers..” This has been the case of Aaron Hammer who began his woodworking career as an apprentice in 1995, under the direction of master wood turner Jerry Kermode. Venturing off onto his own in 2000 he established his HammerCraft line of lathe-turned artistic and functional wooden bowls, drums, jewelry and gift items all made from previously felled Hawaiian trees. Helping to preserve and protect precious forest resources is a passion of Hammer’s as well as working on the lathe. Aaron states that while working on the lathe “one must work from the center both physically and spiritually…starting with a raw log and transforming it into a finely finished and cherished object is the joy of my creation.”
The exhibition also features beautiful creations by Mark and Karen Stebbins who together own and operate Stebbins Studios, LLC. which showcases the fine woodworking, craftsmanship and artistic achievements of this husband and wife team. For over 15 years they together have created superior quality, hand crafted wood turnings and furniture as well as elegant gifts items and other artistic works for clients around the world. Located in East Hawaiʻi the Stebbins also offer custom engraving through their business Big Island Engraving.
Two very special woodturning demonstrations will take place on the Volcano Art Center Gallery porch during the exhibit allowing viewers to witness live woodturning on a lathe. Aaron Hammer will demonstrate on January 25th and Mark and Karen Stebbins will demonstrate on February 1st. Both demonstrations take place from 11am -2pm at the Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.
This exhibit is supported by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, through appropriations from the Legislature of the State of Hawaii or grants from the National Endowment for the Arts in cooperation with The Volcano Art Center. Volcano Art Center is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization created in 1974 whose mission is to promote, develop and perpetuate the artistic, cultural and environmental heritage of Hawaii through arts and education. Please visit www.volcanoartcenter.org for more information.
February 22 – March 29, 2020
Mixed Flock: Prints by Margaret Barnaby and Pottery by Emily Herb
Volcano Art Center is proud to announce the exhibition Mixed Flock: Prints by Margaret Barnaby & Pottery by Emily Herb. The exhibit will open to the public Saturday, February 22nd continuing through March 29th from 9am – 5pm daily at the Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Park entrance fees apply. An opening reception with the artists will take place on Saturday, February 22nd from 5-7pm.
The exhibition features two prominent female artists from Volcano Village who find deep inspiration in Hawaiʻi’s natural environment and specifically the native bird populations found within it. Both artists are also members of the Volcano Village Artists Hui who host an annual studio tour each November. While their works are distinctively different, Barnaby working in 2-D creating multiple plate wood block prints and Herb working in 3-D with functional and decorative stoneware, both artists create works of art focusing on native birds and other flying creatures of Hawaiʻi’s rich and varied habitats. “Both artists create graphic representations of species unique to Hawaiʻi,” states Gallery Manager Emily C. Weiss. “Their works expose and inform the viewer, educating people about many rare, endangered and even extinct species. VAC is honored to share their newest works which help support the Center’s mission to promote, develop and perpetuate the artistic, cultural and environmental heritage of Hawaiʻi through arts and education.”
Margaret Barnaby grew up in New England, attended Rhode Island School of Design, and after living in New York City moved to the Big Island of Hawaiʻi. After 30 years as a studio art jeweler her interest turned to birds and large-scale wood block prints. In her multiple plate wood block prints, several plywood plates are carved by hand. The pieces of wood are larger than the size of the paper. Each plate has part of the image on it, and can be used to print one or more colors. The plates are inked using brayers and rollers with oil-based lithography inks and printed on an etching press in succession to build the final picture. Barnaby’s prints use 6 or more plates and around 15 colors. She often uses Stonehenge paper, an American made rag paper. This is a difficult hand process and there are always variations between the prints. The editions are small. It can take up to a month or more to complete a print.
About her subject matter Barnaby states, “Crows caught my attention early in life. They are very loud and very busy. When I came to Volcano I learned about the severely endangered native Hawaiian corvid, the ‘alala. All of these birds were in captivity. Now due to the aggressive captive breeding program there are over one hundred birds and some have been released. I use the ‘alala as a symbol of what is best and worst about people. We are the reason that these birds and plants are in trouble, and we have the power to protect them. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that a big black bird has a lot of graphic punch. As I learned about the ‘alala I also started to see and learn about other Hawaiian native birds, and these are portrayed in the prints for this show.”
Emily Herb was born in the Midwest, and has also lived in Utah, Alaska, Arizona, Seattle and Hawai‘i. Her work has always been inspired by the natural world, and by birds in particular. Since moving to Hawai‘i in 1998, her work has focused mainly on birds and plants found in the Islands. Emily took her first pottery classes in junior high school, and has been working with clay ever since. As a young adult, she attended intensive summer art programs with Dean Schwarz in Decorah, Iowa and with Marguerite Wildenhain in Guerneville, California, which laid a solid foundation in the craft of wheel thrown pottery. She has also been influenced by attending pottery workshops with many artists, including Paulus Berensohn, John Leach and Don Bendel. In addition to making pottery, she has studied various movement techniques, including modern and aerial dance, and since moving to Hawaiʻi, hula and yoga.
For Mixed Flock, Emily Herb has been working on new designs, including birds that frequent forested areas, open country, wetlands, the shoreline and open ocean. New works include vases, decanters, sculptural vessels, bowls and plates, as well as wall plaques. The artist notes, “It is the wonder and awe of nature that continues to inspire me to create pottery. I hope that my work will help to inspire others to appreciate nature, and support efforts to preserve and protect our amazing natural world.” This exhibit is supported by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, through appropriations from the Legislature of the State of Hawaiʻi or grants from the National Endowment for the Arts in cooperation with The Volcano Art Center. Volcano Art Center is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization created in 1974.
Please check back as more details are added to the upcoming exhibitions
April 04 – May 10, 2020 – Kaeo Izon and Dalani Tanahy– Lauhala and Kapa
May 16 – June 2020 – Marian Berger – Watercolor
June 27 – August 02, 202 – Nelson Makua and Kainoa Makua – Prints and Pottery
August 08 – September 13, 202 – Hawai`i Ne`i Invitational
September 19 – November 01, 2020 – Catherine Robbins – Oil Painting
November 20 – December 31, 2020 – Christmas in the Country
