Blown Ashore: Beach Treasures and Fine Feathers by Elaine Morton and Jessica Stein

Description

This exhibition will feature paintings by Elaine Morton and jewellery by Jessica Stein.

Although Jessica started beading as a child, as well as taking drawing and painting lessons, she began doing wirework quite recently. Primarily self-taught, after completing several projects with cabochons and marbles, Jessica decided to work with sea glass because she loves the fact that each piece has a unique shape and texture, and so no two wraps are ever the same. She laughs when she admits that while one of a kind is great, it CAN pose a problem when it comes to earrings.

Jessica loves to challenge herself and try out new techniques. She draws inspiration from nature – plants, seasons, and the ever-shifting seas – thus producing jewellery of many styles, from bold to minimal, simple to intricate.

In this show, Jessica will be featuring jewellery made from local Vancouver Island sea glass, (Jessica’s excuse for regular visits to the beach) naturally molted peacock feathers, glass and freshwater pearls, crystals, glass beads, seed beads, stones, and various metals.

In addition, Jessica will be showcasing some of the sterling silver jewellery she created while being mentored by jeweller Anne Krauss. Holding, in her bare hands, a torch hot enough to melt metal was an exciting, albeit slightly terrifying, experience.

Jessica is very open to taking commissions and working with other creative people to design unique and novel pieces. Please contact her at https://www.whisperedreams.com/contact if this interests you.

Elaine Morton, who has had a paintbrush in her hand for most of her life, works out of her Metchosin studio on Vancouver Island. As an artist, she sees her work as a response to the beauty of the natural world, and, as an environmentalist, she hopes that shining a light on these natural treasures will help to foster an appreciation for, and protection of, this beautiful Island.

The beaches, woods, and meadows nearby provide endless inspiration for her delicate and detailed watercolours. Her subject matter ranges from the in-depth study of a shell to the broad strokes of the Juan de Fuca Strait. From the shoreline, one can imagine glancing down from the sky to the sandy beach. Treasures such as shells, coral, rocks, and driftwood have formed the inspiration for many of Elaine’s detailed and delicate watercolour paintings.

Blown Ashore brings together artwork depicting the convergence of wind and sea. In the air one can see birds like the Great Blue Heron, portrayed in acrylic, while the American Widgeon, painted in watercolour, is seen reflected in the calm water of a lagoon. Plan to attend the Meet- the-Artists Reception on Friday, August 30th from 7 to 9pm.

Operated by the Society for Arts on the South Island (SASI), whose mission statement is to nurture British Columbia arts and culture … through the production and support of showcases of fine art and craft, the provision of arts education programs, public performances, and special community cultural events, the Coast Collective Art Centre is open 11:00 to 5:00 Wednesday through Sunday. You can reach us at 250-391-5522 or email gallery@coastcollective.ca for more information. www.coastcollective.ca