Style Spotlight: A Generous Gift of Glass

October 2008 | BY admin | December 2008, Issue 64 | NO COMMENTS

What do you do when your glass collection exceeds 300 works? If you’re Myrna and Sheldon Palley, you donate half of it to your alma mater. On May 2, The Lowe Art Museum at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Fla., announced the opening of the Myrna and Sheldon Palley Pavilion for Contemporary Glass and Studio Arts.

The new museum wing features a rotating permanent collection of more than 150 glass works by 53 artists, estimated to be worth more than $3.5 million. The Palleys donated $1.7 million for the construction of the pavilion as well as $1 million for its glass collection endowment.

Designed by Ronald Mateu of Mateu Architecture, Inc., the structure spans 3,500 square feet, and includes four light-filled galleries. “Glass is an art form that is alive,” explains Myrna Palley. “It reflects and feeds off the environment- especially light.”

A chandelier of revolving prisms by Jon Kuhn welcomes visitors to the space. The rotating collection showcases work by greats like Howard Ben Tre#169;, Dale Chihuly, Dan Dailey, Harvey Littleton and Lino Tagliapietra.

In addition to its glass collection, the space also displays donated work by ceramic and fiber artists, including Jun Kaneko and Ken Uyemura. The Palleys are “dream alumni,” says university president Donna E. Shalala. “They give back to share their passion and love for the arts.”

To celebrate the grand opening of the pavilion, the Lowe Art Museum has teamed up with Habatat Galleries to produce a week-long “Art Adventure in South Florida.” The events include an exclusive collectors’ preview party, lectures and demonstrations, Nov. 29-Dec. 3 at the University of Miami. To reserve a space, call Habatat Galleries at 561-241-4544.

For more information about the collection, go to www.lowemuseum.org.

Style Spotlight: Art Comes to Prime Time

October 2008 | BY Christine Kloostra | December 2008, Issue 64 | NO COMMENTS

America’s Next Top Model,” please take a seat. “American Artist,” a weekly reality show that pits emerging artists against one another, may be coming to a television near you.

Although it’s still in development, the show is a co-creation of Sarah Jessica Parker’s production company Pretty Matches and Magical Elves, the creators of “Project Runway.”

The casting application on Magical Elves’ website describes the program as a “creative competition series between aspiring contemporary artists who will create and compete in a range of disciplines including sculpture, painting, photography and industrial design.”

According to a representative from NBC Universal, the show hasn’t been picked up. It’s reported that the Bravo channel may host the new show. Stay tuned!

Style Spotlight: Getting Ahead

October 2008 | BY Christine Kloostra | December 2008, Issue 64 | NO COMMENTS

Roy Lichtenstein’s “Modern Head” at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C.

Roy Lichtenstein’s monumental “Modern Head” sculpture, installed one block from the World Trade Center, survived the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, with only surface scratches. The 31-foot-high work was then used by the FBI as a message board until it was removed from its Battery Park location two months later. It made its way to the Nassau County Museum of Art in Roslyn Harbor, N.Y., followed by the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables, Fla. Its recent installation outside the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C., returns it to the national forefront.

One on One: Lucky 13

October 2008 | BY Karen S. Chambers | December 2008, Issue 64 | NO COMMENTS

Photography by Chris Corrie

Born in 1937 in St. Louis, Mo., Jane Sauer always knew she wanted to be an artist. At 10 she had her own “studio-an examining room in her internist father’s office. To keep her amused, he gave her art materials and framed the results. Some patients liked them enough to buy. “I had the mistaken idea that I was already an artist,” she recalls. “I never thought I was going to do anything else. It was just what I did: make art.” What she never envisioned was that she would become a gallerist, the owner of Jane Sauer Gallery in Santa Fe, N.M.

You started your career as a painter, graduating from Washington University in 1959 with a B.F.A., and through the years worked with other mediums before settling on knotting, a basketry technique. You are celebrated for transforming the traditional craft into an art form. How did you move from making art to selling it?
Probably 9/11 had something to do with it. I had a show in St. Louis that October and it was like going to a wake. Doing artwork at that time seemed kind of vacuous to me. I thought, “I just do not want to spend all day in my studio by myself. I want to do something else,” so I started working at Thirteen Moons Gallery, which showed art quilts exclusively. When the owner, Mary Anhaltzer, died suddenly, I was asked to curate some basket shows.

Anhaltzer wanted to legitimize quilts as art, and you wanted to do that for basketry. What led you to present other craft mediums, and now some painting and bronze sculpture, in your gallery?
I thought that if I’m going to ask people to show here, then what happens in the gallery has to be broader. It started evolving, moving away from the taste of the original owner, so the gallery became more my vision. In 2005 Anhaltzer’s widower suggested I buy the gallery. I think I had a month to decide. It was sort of like jumping off a cliff.

When you bought the gallery you didn’t change the name to Jane Sauer Gallery. The gallery had a good reputation so I had no reason to change it. It was just that we were doing different things. At first it was Jane Sauer Thirteen Moons Gallery. Actually, I have just officially dropped the name Thirteen Moons so it’s now Jane Sauer Gallery.

What’s your philosophy about the gallery?
I’m looking for that intersection of craft and art. If it’s good art, how it’s made or what it’s made of is immaterial.

As an artist, you had to have a definite point of view. But your gallery represents a wide variety of expressions-from Tim Harding’s opulent dyed silks to Adrian Arleo’s, shall we say, “challenging” figurative ceramic sculptures. How do you choose who to show?
I have to like their artwork. I think it’s really important for the person selling it to like it, to believe in it.

What do you think is the most important thing for a gallerist to have in order to be successful?
To like talking about art. To be responsible, reliable, honest. And to have patience. If somebody walks out of the gallery without buying anything, and you know they buy from another gallery, you can’t think, “Oh, I didn’t do a good job. I wasn’t convincing.” You must be patient and hope that some of the work you have will connect with them later.

For more of “One on One: Lucky 13,” pick up the December 2008 issue of AmericanStyle today!

Editor’s Note: Lists, Gifts and Resolutions

October 2008 | BY Hope Daniels | December 2008, Issue 64 | NO COMMENTS

Holiday revelers step out in force on Nantucket’s Main Street, during Christmas Stroll Weekend.

Ilove winter holidays for their possibilities. Will it snow? Can I find the perfect tree? How many people can I squeeze around the dinner table on Christmas Day? And (the biggie) what can I give to the ones I love?

That last item, of course, is really what Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are all about: giving gifts with affection, giving time for friends and celebration, giving attention to big and little details that create such joy, and giving pause to reflect on our circumstances and good fortune.

But in the whirl of all these gifts and merrymaking, have you ever thought about giving a gift to yourself?

No? Well, consider this. If you’re like me, you don’t have much time left outside of work and family obligations to do the things you’re always telling yourself you’d like to do someday. Yet whether you’re 16 or 60, someday is a moving target. And life doesn’t just sit there waiting for you to get good and ready to jump in and participate.

So my gift idea? Take action, get in the game, and start doing all those things you’ve been saving up for later.

Our feature on Virginia’s Rappahannock County artists’ studio and gallery tour is one of thousands of such events taking place all over the country every year. Don’t just read about it. Resolve to track one down in your area and go! Nantucket ‘s annual Christmas Stroll Weekend, also featured in this issue, is magical, and I encourage you to experience it for yourselves. But no matter where you live, Christmas festivities abound. Find them and take part!

Nancy and Warren Brakensiek, our featured collectors, didn’t grow up with contemporary quilts, but when they experienced the proverbial coup de foudre, they didn’t think twice about concentrating their efforts (and greatly enriching their lives) in their new passion. What kind of art collecting would really give you pleasure? Isn’t it time you started to indulge that urge?

If you make just a single resolution on New Year’s Day, let it be this one: Make AmericanStyle the jumping-off point for seizing your somedays. We make it our business to fill every issue with worthy enticements. That’s our gift to you.

Happy Holidays!

Hope Daniels
Editor-in-Chief

Arts Travel: Coast to Coast Holiday Lights

October 2008 | BY admin | December 2008, Issue 64 | NO COMMENTS

More than 3,000 luminarias twinkle in the gardens of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin.

The holiday season sets in all at once-as soon as the switch is flipped and towns and cities across America light up with an unmistakable ambiance. We’ve found three must-see destinations, all perfect for warming up during the holidays.

Austin, Texas, kicks off its city-wide celebration Dec. 7 with the lighting of the 155-foot-high man-made Zilker Tree in Zilker Metropolitan Park, followed closely by the Trail of Lights, a mile-long display of holiday scenes, Dec. 14-23. To satisfy your shopping urge, visit the Austin Museum of Art’s 23rd annual Holiday Art Festival, Dec. 6-7, where 60 juried artists show and sell everything from ceramics to wood and jewelry. The Armadillo Christmas Bazaar is another highlight, presenting live music with 130 artists and craftspeople Dec. 12-24. But don’t leave before you see “Luminations at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center-the gardens glow with more than 3,000 luminarias. For details and more events visit www.austintexas.org.

“Island of Lights: Light Up the Lake” officially begins Nov. 28 in Carolina Beach, N.C.

Cape Fear Coast, N.C., jumps into the holiday season with ocean-inspired events. “Island of Lights-Light Up the Lake,” Nov. 28, is the official kick-off ceremony for the month-long festival on Carolina Beach. A Christmas parade of fantastically decorated boats sails Dec. 4. Another highlight is “Enchanted Airlie,” an overflow of illumination in the gardens, Nov. 28-Dec. 20. The hottest shopping scene happens early in the season-don’t miss Art for the Masses in Wilmington, which hosts local artisans selling work under $250, on Nov. 22. For information, visit www.gocapefearcoast.com.

Balboa Park December Nights 2008 kicks off the San Diego holiday season, Dec. 5. Fantasy on Ice, San Diego’s downtown ice rink, is an unlikely tradition, returning Nov. 20.

Don’t think ice skating and the beach go together? Think again. San Diego, Calif., pulls out all the stops to create a warm-weather wonderland. Fantasy on Ice, an outdoor skating rink located near Horton Plaza, opens Nov. 20-Jan. 4. The crème de la crème of the season’s festivities is Balboa Park December Nights, Dec. 5-6. The festivities include carolers, live entertainment, free admission to the park’s more than 80 museums and cultural organizations and a re-creation of a Native American community. Of course, no ocean-side city would be complete without a boat parade of lights. Mission Bay lights up Dec. 13, and San Diego Bay turns it on Dec. 14 and 21, each with more than 100 brightly illuminated boats. For details, visit www.sandiego.org.

Arts Tour: Picture Perfect

October 2008 | BY Hilary Nangle | December 2008, Issue 64 | NO COMMENTS

The Old North Wharf district spreads holiday cheer with a Christmas tree in a dory. HEATHER STRAUCH/ NANTUCKET ISLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Christmas. An island. Nantucket. Each word conjures up an image, each laced with magic, but string them together-an island Christmas on Nantucket-and the result is the stuff of holiday dreams.

During the darkest days of the year, Nantucket Noel-the official holiday season that lasts from Thanksgiving to Christmas-makes dreams come true. Wood smoke and balsam scent the salty air, wreaths brighten doorways and twinkling trees line downtown streets. It’s a festive time to visit not only the island but its artisans as well.

For 35 years, islanders have gathered in downtown Nantucket to celebrate community and the season. Summer residents return to illuminate shuttered homes. Museums and shops reopen. A lighthouse wreath welcomes those arriving by boat, including Santa. There are concerts, a pageant, even a talking tree.

“There’s a real feeling of an old-fashioned Christmas, says Jayne Hare Dane, partner in the island’s Dane Gallery. “The whole community gets involved with celebrating the season and the beauty and history of Nantucket.”

Downtown Nantucket twinkles during the holiday season. Photo credit:Tom Nangle

That history dates back to the early 1800s, when Nantucket, located 30 miles off the coast of Hyannis, Mass., on Cape Cod, was the whaling capital of the world. It’s not hard to visualize that heyday, when the shops now sprinkling the wharves were fishing shanties, and when ships returned with not only exotic cargoes and whale oil but also ivory carved and baskets woven during the long months at sea.

Grand homes-some open for tours during Nantucket Noel- still harbor treasures from far-flung locales; scrimshanders, basket weavers and other artisans still pepper the island; and during the holidays, carolers in Victorian garb parade through the downtown.

For more of “Arts Tour: Picture Perfect,” pick up the December 2008 issue of AmericanStyle today!

Struttin’ Their Stuff

October 2008 | BY Marilyn Millstone | December 2008, Issue 64 | NO COMMENTS

Metal worker Nol Putnam greets visitors to his forge, where he creates large architectural works in addition to smaller pieces. Photography by Roger Foley

Tucked into the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains is a town nicknamed “Little Washington-an affectionate nod to that “bigger” Washington, the nation’s capital, 65 miles east.

But while that Washington may boast world famous monuments, this Washington-population 200-offers a backdrop of the mountains in Shenandoah Valley, the shimmer of a night sky sequined with stars, and a quiet so profound you can hear a frog croaking in the distance.

With a setting like this, it isn’t difficult to understand why so many artists call the area home. And for one weekend each fall, they throw open their studio doors to the public. This year, the Artists of Rappahannock Studio & Gallery Tour takes place Nov. 1-2. Centered in Little Washington, but also swinging through the surrounding countryside of Rappahannock County, the tour features 17 studios and seven galleries, showcasing the work of more than 50 artists.

For more of “Struttin’ Their Stuff,” pick up the December 2008 issue of AmericanStyle today!

Bella Luz Studio

October 2008 | BY The AmericanStyle Staff | December 2008, Issue 64 | NO COMMENTS

Enchanting decorative lamps by Bella Luz Studio are fashioned of translucent reproductions of original drawings set in lustrous copper frame-works. This Swan-neck Lamp includes a translucent amber-colored resin base. Expertly crafted to delight all ages, more than 150 luminous designs are at www.bellaluz.com.

An Ideal Assemblage

October 2008 | BY Emily Drabanski | December 2008, Issue 64 | NO COMMENTS

Nancy and Warren Brakensiek have a home built for art, inside and out. Photography by Kirk Gittings

On a sunny afternoon in Albuquerque, a roadrunner scurries along a wall covered by colorful contemporary metal sculpture as New Mexico’s towering Sandia Mountains begin to take on a kaleidoscope of pink hues, reflecting their name-sandía, Spanish for watermelon.

It’s a magnificent view, but it’s the special crystalline quality of light found at the 5,000-foot elevation that made art collectors Nancy and Warren Brakensiek fall in love with the place. “It’s all about the light, explains Nancy. Warren nods in agreement.

The mountain light dances through their home to illuminate a stunning collection of contemporary art quilts along with other eclectic treasures, including contemporary sculpture, Asian art and international folk art.

Before their retirement eight years ago, the Brakensieks were a busy career couple in Los Angeles. Warren worked as a corporate attorney and Nancy was a CPA. While they worked hard, they also found great joy in collecting art, specializing in contemporary art quilts made by artists in the Pacific Northwest.

These exquisite fine art pieces are meant to be displayed on your walls, not your bed. For this reason, Nancy had clear specifications for their new home. “She wanted to have a lot of wall space, windows with a view and lots of indirect light to prevent fading the quilts,” Warren says. A home designed by Santa Fe, N.M., artist Seth Anderson fit the bill.

Since the 1980s, they’ve acquired 140 stunning quilts-from meditative, abstract works in soft hues to vibrant, whimsical pieces embellished with beads, velvets and golden trinkets. At any given time, 30 to 40 works grace their walls. Rotating the quilts on display is essential to help preserve them.

For more of “An Ideal Assemblage,” pick up the December 2008 issue of AmericanStyle today!

Studio 7 Art Gallery

October 2008 | BY The AmericanStyle Staff | December 2008, Issue 64 | NO COMMENTS

Union,” of cast bronze, polished marble and slumped glass, is one of many works by Miles Van Rensselaer, a NICHE Award-winning artist. To view the entire collection, log on to www.studio7artgallery.com.