Brackenwood Gallery - Fine Arts and Crafts from the Pacific Northwest

Artist’s Statement for: July Show at Brackenwood Gallery 2010: PATTERNS
I often use repetition as a tool in my sculpting, but my daughter Laura’s flamboyant foray into the use of pattern in her painting has been an inspiration. When she started sending photos of her current directions, it opened my eyes to seeing my own work in new ways. I began recognizing patterns where I hadn’t consciously seen them before, and I started thinking of specific ways to introduce them into new sculptures.

There is no end of visual patterns in nature, from the intricate coloring and arrangement of bird feathers or flower petals to the ordered chaos of ocean waves. There are also patterns of behavior – courtship, nesting, birds flocking together and fish forming schools. When sculpture includes elements from both of these types of patterning, it often touches the viewer. The playful image of three foxes sitting in a row is visually pleasing, but also suggests a rhythm that feels natural and timeless. More moving is the pairing of young and old in forms that have a feeling of repetition. I believe these responses are connected to our sensing in these images the most basic pattern of all – the cycle of life we all a part of.

There are a few subtleties I would like to point out in some of the sculptures I created for this show. My favorite is the wing and tail feathers of the “Bowed Raven”. The way the clay work translated into metal captures what I like most about working in bronze. You may not recognize it, but the two birds in “Peregrine Pattern” are identical forms – an interesting illustration of how angles and context guides perception. Finally, I want to thank Laura for “Ain’t Nobody Here”. The moment I saw her delightful painting of chickens and how she had used her sense of pattern to fill the canvas, I knew I had to try something similar in three dimensions.

Artist Statement

My career as a professional sculptor has been more fulfilling than I could have ever hoped for, and more prolific than I could have imagined.  Since winning my first public art commission in 1983 I have focused on the creation of site-specific public installations, working primarily with life-size human and animal forms, though sometimes incorporating abstract or architectural elements.  I also create sculpture for gallery and museum exhibition.

I own and operate my own foundry on rural Whidbey Island, Washington, and with my small crew of technicians I cast all of my public work, while relying on an outside foundry for many of my smaller edition pieces.

Bio

Georgia Gerber, born 1955, grew up in Chester County, Pennsylvania. She studied sculpture and bronze casting at Bucknell University, and moved west to attend Graduate School at the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. Her professional career began at that time. Along with her husband and daughter, she lives on rural Whidbey Island. She primarily works with life size animal and human figures, often incorporating architectural or abstract elements into the design. A career emphasis has been the creation of accessible public artwork which encourages viewer interaction.

My husband and I had our first date near the end of my graduate work at the University of Washington. That night I told him I dreamed of having my own studio and foundry in a quiet rural area where I could raise a family and create sculpture. We have been doing just that for 21 years now. What I didn’t tell him was the part about the horses…” – Georgia Gerber

Education
1982 University of Washington, Seattle, Washington: MFA
1979 – 1977 Bucknell University, Teaching Assistant
1977 Bucknell University, Bachelor of Arts

Public and Corporate Commissions

Town Center, University Place, Washington – To be installed Fall 2010

Central Washington University, Ellensburg,Washington – To be installed 2010

Bravern Place, Bellevue, Washington 2009

Mission Mill Museum, Salem, Oregon 2009

Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington 2009

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, Jacksonville, Florida 2009

Wade King Memorial, The Wade King Student Athletic Center, Bellingham, WA 2008

City of Tulsa Public Library, Tulsa, Oklahoma 2008

Clinton Library, Clinton, Washington 2007

Pacific Science Center, Seattle, Washington 2007

President’s Mansion Renovation, University of Washington 2007

Alva Centennial Project, Alva Oklahoma 2007

University Village, Seattle, Washington 2006

The Living Desert Museum, Palm Desert, California 2006

City of Everett, Colby Avenue, Everett, Washington, 2005

City of Woodinville, Woodinville, Washington, 2005

Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, Washington,  2004, 2003, 1997, 1993

City of Cupertino Pubic Library, Cupertino, California 2004

St. Augustine’s in the Woods Episcopal Church, Freeland, Washington 2003

South Whidbey Historical Museum, Langley, Washington 2002

Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Virginia Technological Institute 2002

Lake Sacajawea Park, Longview, Washington  2001

University Prep High School, Seattle, Washington 2000

Cincinnati Zoo, Cincinnati, Ohio 2000

Recreational Equipment Inc., Denver, Colorado and Tokyo, Japan 2000

Mukilteo Public Library, Mukilteo, Washington 1999

Pacific Science Center, Seattle, Washington 1998

Streetscape Downtown Renovation, Wichita, Kansas 1997-2000

Freeland Library, Freeland, Washington 1997

Redmond Town Center, Redmond, Washington 1997

Brown’s Ferry Park, Tualitan, Oregon 1997

Marysville Public Library, Marysville, Washington 1996

San Francisco Zoo, San Francisco, California 1996

University Village, Seattle, Washington 1995

Langley Library, Langley, Washington 1995

University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 1995

Maritime Museum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1995

Kasch Park, Everett, Washington 1994

Port Townsend Public Library, Port Townsend, Washington 1992

Everett Public Library, Everett, Washington 1991

Mercer Island Public Library, Mercer Island, Washington 1991

Mt. St. Helens Commemorative, Weyerhaeuser Co. 1991

Maplewood Elementary School, Portland, Oregon (1% for Art) 1990

Hewlett Packard, Vancouver, Washington 1990

St. Hubert Catholic Church, Langley, Washington 1990

Linfield College, McMinnville, Oregon 1990

The High Desert Museum, Bend, Oregon 1989

Olympic Park, Edmonds, Washington 1989

Mountlake Terrace Library, Mountlake Terrace, Washington (1% for Art) 1988

Cornerstone Development, Tacoma, Washington 1987

Banfield Light Rail/Pioneer Courthouse, Portland, Oregon 1986

First Street Park, Langley, Washington 1986

Pike Place Market Foundation, Seattle, Washington 1986

Washington Park Zoo, Portland, Oregon 1983

Grand Northern Building, Anchorage, Alaska 1983

Main Elementary School, Kodiak, Alaska (1% for Art) 1983

Gallery Representation

Brackenwood Gallery, Langley, Washington

Gallery Mack, Seattle, Washington

Leslie Levy Fine Arts, Scottsdale, Arizona

Whistler Village Gallery, Whistler Village, B.C., Canada

Lawrence Gallery, Sheridan, Oregon

Northwest by Northwest, Cannon Beach, Oregon

Waterworks Gallery, Friday Harbor, Washington

Waxlander Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico