Sea and Sky: April Higashi and Aondrea Maynard

April Higashi has made her name on her skillful and organic style of enameling. Building layers of color in a painterly fashion she creates small and wearable artworks rooted in a reverence for nature. Conversely, Aondrea Maynard paints large canvases in which she distills moments unseen yet present in the natural world around us. A smart pairing, the show “Sea & Sky” is a look at the evocative ways in which artists become inspired by the natural world and their relationship to it. Each artist, though very different in chosen medium and scale, is working from a deep and intuitive place, attempting to assign materiality to the intangible realm of experience.

                      'Ma' Brooch: painted enamel, diamond slices, 18kyg, oxidized silver

Higashi is currently navigating the challenges of new motherhood, owning and operating a gallery and continuing an art practice of her own. Despite this hectic work environment, her new collection has a sense of peace and stillness. A subtle shift has occurred in her enamels as vibrant patterns spread over the whole surface have been left behind for a more sparse imagery with soft white backgrounds. “Ma” Brooch (painted enamel, oxidized silver, 18k yellow gold, and diamond slices) exhibits a single bare branch, rendered fuzzy as if seen through thick fog. About this new aesthetic Higashi says, “I wanted to arrive at a subtle beauty that gives the viewer a sense of calm. This quiet place is a space that I crave, even if only enjoyed for the smallest moments.” These new enamels are small homages to the awe-inspiring effect of nature. Perhaps by pointing our gaze at artwork instilled with this awe we may be able to steel a moment away from the busy, over-scheduled day to day.

                          'Shiro' Brooch: fossilized coral, black diamonds, 24 & 18k gold

Higashi’s reverence for nature comes through in not only the imagery painted on her enamels but the materials she uses as well. Shiro Brooch (fossilized coral, black diamonds, 24&18k gold) offers the viewer a relic from the past. Embellished very sparingly with a faux branch reproduced from gold and set with black diamonds gives the piece a feeling of elaborate repair. Like many jewelers, Higashi works with precious metals, stones and pearls. Always careful to use only those that are responsible and sustainable, her eye falls on the peculiar. The pearls, stones and other precious materials seen in this show shed light on her special interest in the beauty of imperfection. Those things that nature makes sub-par or irregular, according to market standards, are the very materials that she covets. The asymmetry of a branch of fossilized coral, a domé pearl originally used as a test to make cultured pearls, and raw diamonds mined decades ago to make industrial tools hold the spotlight in this extensive body of new work.

                  Lover, 2011: Oil on wood panel, 22" x 60"

Aondrea Maynard’s paintings are at once beautiful and haunting. Capturing the liminal, she creates a visual language for the moments that happen in between what we might consider regular and documentable events. In many of her paintings, namely Lover (oil on wood), light and color are a strong focus and occupy the canvas with as much weight as line and shape. What looks like puffs of smoke, upward moving steam, and currents of air are rendered as tangible as a full moon or the silhouette of tree tops. A reoccurring shape appears, reminiscent of the end of a cello or violin or perhaps the ubiquitous Acanthus leaf. In Whaling Song, the shape has such a weight and shadow that it becomes animate, a living and breathing being. For the artist it is a shape that feels good to paint and her body has a natural tendency towards it. In this way a language specific to the artists physicality has become part of the visual language of her painting.

      Whaling Song, 2011: Oil on wood panel, 40" x 36"

Challenges of sustaining a successful art practice are present for both artists. In Maynard’s short talk given during the show opening she spoke of the dangers of getting stuck in an aesthetic that sells well. For a painter whose aim is to paint the invisible, she has to try to shelve this looming demand of marketability and get to that deeper place that many artists seek. For Higashi and Maynard continuing a successful studio practice while striving toward their true creative vision is not easy in the midst of life’s daily challenges. In “Sea & Sky” we are offered an unusual comparison of the work of two artists, a jeweler and painter. Similarly inspired, the careers of two women converge at Shibumi Gallery as they exhibit their most recent bodies of work.

For those unable to steal a moment from their day-to-day, visit Shibumi Gallery's Flickr page where you will find April Highashi's jewelry collection, Aondrea Maynard's paintings as well as photos from the opening.

Review by Ahna Adair

April Higashi Jewelry + Aondrea Maynard Paintings 'Sea & Sky'

The 'Sea & Sky' show, an elegant and dreamy pairing of jewelry and paintings, will be up through December 04, 2011.
 

     April Higashi, 'Ma' Brooch, painted enamel, oxidized silver, 18k yellow gold, diamond slices

'Ma' is not something that is created by compositional elements; it is the thing that takes place in the imagination of the human who experiences these elements. It is best described as a consciousness of place, not in the sense of an enclosed three-dimensional entity, but rather the simultaneous awareness of form and non-form deriving from an intensification of vision.

                                    Aondrea Maynard, Midnight Swoon, oil on wood panel

My paintings are a visual dialogue between myself and the natural world, a narrative of my own inner journey and the metaphorical landscapes found there. Nature itself in perfect harmony has always been a powerfully soothing presence in my life, one that inspires my work continuously.

My paintings are portraits of dreams, memories, moments in silence and abstractions all infused with the appreciation and wonder of the beauty of this natural world, its unspoken wisdom and limitless grace.

           April Higashi, Nori Necklace, enamel, pencil, oxidized silver, 1920's steel cut beads

This body of work is more direct, as coral-like branches are rendered to appear as if captured in a mist. The images are painted in layers using graphite, enamel and china paint. They are partially hidden creating an atmosphere of distance that asks the viewer to leave them to exist in their own quiet suspended space.
 

                                     April Higashi + Aondrea Maynard, November 2011

More photos of the show & reception

 Aondrea Maynard Paintings 

Gallery Lulo: April Higashi - New Work

Artists Statement - 
The world of craft is a surreal place after the birth of my son last year. Before that momentous occasion, the space of making held more weight in my life. Now, though it is still important to me, it is met with a feeling of lightness. I am sometimes haunted by how to merge motherhood with making and my daily efforts to create new work are approached through a foggy veil. The many days and weeks spent creating these pieces where dedicated to unearthing a complexity from a chaos of new ideas that have occupied my mind and my studio. Hopefully when resolved and finished the works retain a mysterious presence and offer a space for peace and stillness. The enamels and fossilized coral pieces in this group capture this feeling of solace.

The abstract imagery painted in my enamels in the past emerged after snorkeling in Hawaii above the natural coral reefs. Swimming above the majestic beauty, I did not want to directly copy what I saw but instead convey the feelings experienced as I looked at the forms and moved through the water. This group of work is more direct, as coral-like branches are rendered to appear as if captured in a mist. The images are painted in layers using graphite, enamel and china paint. They are partially hidden creating an atmosphere of distance that asks the viewer to leave them to exist in their own quiet suspended space. I have accented these pieces with prong set diamond slice fragments, black diamonds and rose cut moonstones. The beads are French steel cut beads from the 1930's that add an eccentricity rooted in fashionable jewelry of this era. I have used bead setting as a reference to this antique jewelry, yet left surfaces smooth and sculptural.

This is a time for more awareness of our resources and greater efforts in recycling these objects of beauty. Reflecting my appreciation for nature, the pearls, coral, moonstones and diamonds in this group were bought from sustainable sources. The pearls are special fresh water American pearls harvested from the Tennessee River mostly from mussels. This second generation family business has spent over 50 years collecting pearls from our rivers and lakes. The dome pearls were originally used as a test for making cultured pearls. I have bought the remainder of this company's supply of these pearls. The companies that harvest the coral take only dead coral that is no longer feeding other species of sea life. The brilliant cut diamonds were bought from older estate jewelry. As a jewelry maker l bring my interpretation with the hope that there will always be a desire for a new perspective both in fashion and art.

The show is up at Gallery Lulo through 7/30/11. The new work will be shown at Shibumi Gallery opening November 5th, 2011 with an extension of this series. This will be the first solo show at Shibumi of April's work since she opened Shibumi in 2005.

April Higashi // NEW WORK

April Higashi // Artist Statement

The world of craft is a surreal place after the birth of my son last year. Before that momentous occasion, the space of making held more weight in my life. Now, though it is still important to me, it is met with a feeling of lightness. I am sometimes haunted by how to merge motherhood with making and my daily efforts to create new work are approached through a foggy veil. The many days and weeks spent creating these pieces where dedicated to unearthing a complexity from a chaos of new ideas that have occupied my mind and my studio. Hopefully when resolved and finished the works retain a mysterious presence and offer a space for peace and stillness. The enamels and fossilized coral pieces in this group capture this feeling of solace.

The abstract imagery painted in my enamels in the past emerged after snorkeling in Hawaii above the natural coral reefs. Swimming above the majestic beauty, I did not want to directly copy what I saw but instead convey the feelings experienced as I looked at the forms and moved through the water. This group of work is more direct, as coral-like branches are rendered to appear as if captured in a mist. The images are painted in layers using graphite, enamel and china paint. They are partially hidden creating an atmosphere of distance that asks the viewer to leave them to exist in their own quiet suspended space. I have accented these pieces with prong set diamond slice fragments, black diamonds and rose cut moonstones. The beads are French steel cut beads from the 1930's that add an eccentricity rooted in fashionable jewelry of this era. I have used bead setting as a reference to this antique jewelry, yet left surfaces smooth and sculptural.

This is a time for more awareness of our resources and greater efforts in recycling these objects of beauty. Reflecting my appreciation for nature, the pearls, coral, moonstones and diamonds in this group were bought from sustainable sources. The pearls are special fresh water American pearls harvested from the Tennessee River mostly from mussels. This second generation family business has spent over 50 years collecting pearls from our rivers and lakes. The dome pearls were originally used as a test for making cultured pearls. I have bought the remainder of this company's supply of these pearls. The companies that harvest the coral take only dead coral that is no longer feeding other species of sea life. The brilliant cut diamonds were bought from older estate jewelry. As a jewelry maker l bring my interpretation with the hope that there will always be a desire for a new perspective both in fashion and art.

                  'Ma' Brooch, painted enamel, diamond slices, 18k yellow gold, oxidized silver

('Ma' is not something that is created by compositional elements; it is the thing that takes place in the imagination of the human who experiences these elements.It is best described as a consciousness of place, not in the sense of an enclosed three-dimensional entity, but rather the simultaneous awareness of form and non-form deriving from an intensification of vision.)

The show is up at Gallery Lulo through 7/30/11. The new work will be shown at Shibumi Gallery opening November 5th, 2011 with an extension of this series. This will be the first solo show at Shibumi of April's work since she opened Shibumi in 2005.

Darcy Miro at Shibumi Gallery

review by Ahna Adair

Since she began her art practice, Darcy Miro has covered an extensive territory with her metalwork. Her ability to adapt to various art markets is noteworthy, operating within the fields of fashion, design, art jewelry, and sculpture. Comfortable dwelling in the minute and the gigantic, her resume lists high profile projects such as her participation in the façade design of the American Folk Art Museum in 2001 with architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien.

Pierce and Stripe Cuff, 2011, oxidized silver, black diamonds, 2.5"x 3"x 2"

The collection showing at Shibumi Gallery consists primarily of pendants and cuffs with some earrings and rings interspersed. Their arrangement on a white exhibition table brings attention to the specimen like quality of the work and peering down at over 50 small abstract forms is not unlike a visit to the natural history museum. A slight break in continuum from her raw and imperfect aesthetic happens with the pendants strung on smooth black ribbon. Here the viewer is plainly reminded that these objects function as pieces of adornment.
 

Medium Pendant Seven, 2011, oxidized silver, black ribbon, 1.75" x 3.25"

vWhile the work is a cohesive body of jewelry, Miro does not identify as a jeweler, preferring instead the broader title of metal sculptor. Balancing between the mark of nature and that of the maker, her forms are intuitively constructed, translated first into wax and then cast in sterling silver and 18k yellow gold. The majority of the pieces in the show, far from pristine and highly polished, are treated with a dark patina, leaving solder and scorched metal exposed.

Short Stitch Cuff, 2011, oxidized silver, black diamonds, 2.5"x 3"x 2"

Her rich textures, referencing nature, architecture and the body, are a sultry marriage of the primordial and the high tech; what once was becomes tangled with what is. Each piece functions as a fleeting moment, a snapshot of the artist’s psyche as her conscious and unconscious observations of the day-to-day spill out onto the wax to eventually be made permanent in metal. Subtly sprinkled with black diamonds, the familiar sparkle acts as a sugarcoating as if to assure us that what we are looking at is beautiful. And it is.

Wire Tie Ring, 2011, oxidized silver, black diamonds, 1" x 1" x 1"

Miro’s upcoming projects include installations at E.L. Butler in NYC, Art Basel in Miami and a large wall relief in Abu Dhabi.

Ahna Adair is a jeweler, artist and writer based in Oakland, CA.