Natural Affinity, an exhibition of clay, glass and photography, opened at the Lake Country Art Gallery this week.
The show features the work of Vernon-based artists Buffy Baumbrough, Patricia Doyle and Gale Woodhouse.
Each artist specializes in a particular medium: Woodhouse’s specialty is clay; Doyle’s is glass; Baumbrough’s is photography.
However, since they began working together more than three years ago, they have begun to find themselves attracted to working in other mediums.
“How I see and shoot images,” said Baumbrough, “has been totally changed by working with Gale and Patricia.”
“Me as well,” said Woodhouse. “Sometimes I’ll see something and think, I need to share this with Patricia as it would really only work in glass.”
For these three artists, making art together is an ever-expanding conversation inspired by the natural world around them, the contrast of the micro and the macro of it, as well as their collaborative working relationships with one another.
“When I did the last studio visit with them,” said Lake Country Art Gallery curator Katie Brennan, “they were afire with new ideas. Most of them all from inspiration that they find in each others’ work.”
Fusing glass and clay and photography is a technically challenging process that requires a great depth of knowledge about the chemical properties of the material—what temperature does glass melt at? How is that comparable to the temperatures clay needs to fire at? And how on earth do you apply photographic images to clay and glass surfaces?
To answer all these questions and more, all three artists will give an artist talk on Thursday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m., as well as offer an open studio/demo day in the gallery from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday Oct. 26.
The public is invited to these free events in which they can interact with the artists one-on-one.
Natural Affinity—An exhibition of clay, glass and photography kicks off with an opening reception tonight, Wednesday, Oct. 9 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Natural Affinity is at the Lake Country Art Gallery, 10356A Bottom Wood Lake Rd., until Nov. 16.
For more on the Lake Country Art Gallery and its Art House next door, visit the website at www.lakecountryartgallery.ca.