August 2011 at Vetri Glass - Seattle
Exhibition Dates: August 1st - 27th, 2011
Artist Reception: First Thursday, August 4th, 5:00-8:00 p.m.
Vetri Glass - Seattle is pleased to introduce New Zealand artist, Katherine Rutecki in her first solo exhibition with the gallery. Blue in Green features a selection of the artist’s luminous cast glass birds, presented in various states of flight, motion and even collision. Rutecki describes her richly hued avian flock as a metaphor for the uncertainty and turbulence that can be present in our inner lives.
The idea behind the series was born after Rutecki read an article about migratory birds that get confused flying over cities at night. Birds, who navigate by the stars, became disoriented by our urbanized landscape, their sense of direction severely disrupted by lit buildings, often colliding in midair. This image of a confused flock resonated with Rutecki, who created the series as a personal narrative “about how we do what we have to, to get through the struggles in life." The artist came to see her own life, as well as a more universal experience, in this confused flock of birds: how being disconnected or off center can disrupt and confuse one’s sense of peace or purpose and how uncontrollable events can lead to erratic, reactionary movement. One can also see a glimmer of hopefulness in the work, in that even in a state of chaos, Rutecki’s birds glow from within, with their own inner light to guide them.
To form each piece, Rutecki goes though a laborious process that begins with sculpting the forms in clay. The clay is covered in rubber to create a mold, which is then filled with wax. Once cool, the wax is carved to add more detail. The wax is then overlaid with a mixture of plaster and silica that will become to create a mold, into which the pure ground crystal is poured. Small pieces are fired for 8 hours and large pieces up to 24 hours, before being annealed (gradually cooled) for as long as a week. After the sculptures are removed from the kiln, Rutecki grinds and acid polishes their surfaces, allowing some tool marks and fingerprints to remain. "Kiln casting is such a challenging medium," she explains. "It is extremely technical, but at the same time it is freeing in that you can make anything once you've figured out specific details and fully understand the process."
Katherine Rutecki was raised in Buffalo, NY. At 18, her imaginative skills won her a scholarship to the School of Art & Design in Alfred, NY where she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts majoring in sculpture. In 2007, she moved to Seattle, where she first starting creating sculptures using multiple birds - a critical step in the development of her work. Rutecki moved to New Zealand with her partner, glass artist Luke Jacomb, in October of 2008 to open their design studio, Lukeke Design. Rutecki has shown internationally and is included in private and museum collections.
Contact: Susan Marabito / Director
susan@vetriglass.com
1404 First Avenue, Seattle WA, 98101
Phone: 206.667.9608 Facsimile: 206.621.9447
1821 E Dock St #101, Tacoma WA, 98402
Phone: 253.383.3692 Facsimile: 253.383.3687
Image details: Green, kiln cast lead crystal and steel stand, 15" x 12" x 14", 2011
Photo: Jason Berge
