Left Bank Gallery

More cool stuff

2011-12-20T12:32:00.000-08:00

Here are a few of our favorites from the galleries (and online).

Shop online!

2011-12-12T13:25:00.000-08:00

We're online!

Okay, yes, we've been online for awhile or you wouldn't be reading this. But now we're really online - with a new shopping site. It's almost like being here (in your pajamas).

Come on by! and tell us what you think....

(click here to enter our spiffy new online store)

Our holiday sale starts today!

2011-11-10T08:48:00.000-08:00

All jewelry, crafts and wearables in stock* (except Christmas ornaments, Wellfleet Clocks and cards) are 15% off. So much to chose from!

*Sale does not include consigned items - artwork, sculpture, some jewelry and a few crafts (we'll mark what's not included).

So what is included? Candleholders, not-Wellfleet clocks, mugs, jewelry boxes, scarves, fingerless gloves, handbags, bracelets, teapots, placemats, tiles, vases, measuring spoons, necklaces, cutting boards, serving trays, hats, jackets, wallets, napkin rings, soap dishes, ikebanas, fountains, frames, glassware, paperweights, pitchers, lamps, pillows, earrings, cookware, and oh so much more.

It's best if you stop by and see for yourself, but if you've had your eye on something and are now in Honolulu, give us a call! We'll let you know if it's still here and reunite you with it post haste.

Depending on where you are, we may bring it ourselves. (Not that Cape Cod isn't completely lovely in November....)

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T12:34:00.000-07:00

Watch out for zombies in your sugarbowl.

Is it lunchtime yet?

2011-10-17T09:29:00.000-07:00

You wouldn't think an art gallery would make you hungry, but here we are.

Alison Evans has created a garlic and oil bowl in her oyster series. Believe us when we say you can only type "garlic and oil" so many times before you're checking your watch (and being vaguely disappointed at what you brought for lunch).

There are small spikes in the bottom of the bowl at the tip (hinge-end). Rub a peeled clove of garlic over the spikes, add oil, et voila.

Where is a crusty baguette when you need one?

Annoyed

2011-09-03T13:48:00.000-07:00

Not everyone appreciated being moved inside for hurricane Irene.

Remembering 9/11

2011-09-02T11:42:00.000-07:00

Our friend Allison Argo made a documentary for National Geographic and has offered the community a special screening so we can remember 9/11 together. Join us at Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater, September 11, 6pm, Julie Harris Stage. 2357 Route 6, Wellfleet. Admission is free.

Jill McGowan - just arrived!

2011-09-01T11:39:00.000-07:00

We have new shirts, dresses and jackets from Jill McGowan in Orleans! She makes some of our favorite, most frequently worn clothes.

Looking back at summer 2011

2011-08-31T10:33:00.000-07:00

That was fast. Here's what happened....

Deborah Howard

Ellen Granter

Peter Batchelder

Carol Aust

Graceann Warn

Judith Motzkin

Cynthia Kirkwood

Jennifer O'Connell

Brian Kiernan

Maggie Schmidt

Jim Holland

Monique Goetinck

2011 Show Schedule

2011-05-16T12:19:00.000-07:00

Join us!

Receptions are 6-8pm on opening day of each show.

Website will be updated 48 hours prior to each opening.

July 2-15

Jim Holland

July 16-29

Carol Aust

Monique Goetinck

Deborah Howard

Judith Motzkin

July 30-August 12

Maggie Schmidt

Jennifer O'Connell

Brian Kiernan

August 13-26

Ellen Granter

Graceann Warn

August 27-September 9

Peter Batchelder

Cynthia Kirkwood

above: Poppy, oil, by Jim Holland

Linda Cordner

2011-04-04T10:10:00.000-07:00

"Tinyscape 28" 5"x5" encaustic

Blinking into sunlight, squinting into dusk.

Lately I've been drawn to art that looks the way I see the world - or more accurately, how I perceive it. I don't think this is completely a result of aging eyesight, but one can't discount the possibility completely.

There are things I perceive in technicolor brightness: Birthday parties, strawberry shortcake and Airstream trailers, for instance. Other things I see through lengthening shadows. There's the single light traveling off-shore at dusk, under a purple-blue sky that's exactly the color my daughter wants her room painted if only we could take a slice of the sky to the paint store to match. You could strain to see detail, but that's not the point now is it?

"Tinyscape 32" 6"x6" encaustic

Encaustic is perfect for this kind of scene. The wax diffuses the image, camouflaging some parts and giving depth to others. In her encaustic paintings, Linda Cordner fits an entire experience into a 6" x 6" block.

Fireflies, a neighbor's porchlight, the sound of spring's first frogs.

Yes, I hear frogs in paintings. Doesn't everyone? This is the way I see the world - captured in time and wax.

Mary Bourke

2011-03-24T13:27:00.000-07:00

Do you remember how a place looked the first time you saw it? Places we visit stay that way in our minds, while the places we live morph into something a little grittier, more every-day and utilitarian. I moved to Cape Cod 20 years ago and I love to think back to how it looked when I first moved here. The shape of salt pines, my favorite bike path to the beach, the checkered tablecloths at the Land Ho. These are things that stick in my mind.

While Mary Bourke doesn't paint scenes from Cape Cod, her paintings have the same essence as my early impressions of life here.

"Staying at the Cabin" acrylic 18" x 18"

Different paintings make people think different things - from "that would look great in the guest room" to "will you just look at that light?!?" Mary Bourke's paintings make me think I am the girl in the red bathing suit.

I look at the painting and feel the water on my feet. I can hear the voice of my first Cape Cod cottage-mate - who talked me into buying a large, inflatable raft instead of getting my brakes fixed our first summer here.

My memories are not painted in egg tempera with a squirrel-hair brush. They are patches of color surrounding and creating the barest of essentials.

"In a Moment" acrylic 24" x 24"

Mary's paintings are cool and open. Depending on your starting point, they're either a jumping off place or a landing place. Like visual writing cues, they launch waves of memories and stories. They are a flicker of deja vu

"I know that we cannot foresee or choose our future," Mary says, "but we can search through our past and collect our treasures. These are mine."

Valentine from Sharyn Laughton

2011-02-21T11:26:00.001-08:00

We love our artists!

Studio Sale!

2011-01-27T16:52:00.000-08:00

Save on work by Diana Heimann, Fermob Furniture, Terry Gess, Cynthia Myers, Melle Finelli, Deborah Armstrong, Mary and Lou Ann, David Urso, Silva Studios, Bill Hickman, Hatfield Pottery, Edward Gordon, Don Hatfield, and many more

Gifts under $50

2010-12-06T13:26:00.000-08:00

What do all these things have in common? They're under $50 and ready to be gift wrapped! Beautiful gifts in every price range.

Ornaments!

2010-12-02T10:46:00.000-08:00

We have the cutest Patience Brewster ornaments hanging in our window. Flying pigs, French hens and a... fish driven by an insect?

There is never a dull moment around here.

The Christmas Pickle

2010-11-08T13:53:00.000-08:00

The first person to find the Christmas Pickle hidden on the tree gets... what?

At this point you're either ready with the answer or have no idea what we're talking about. Frankly, we had no idea either until we received our first order of glass pickles. The Christmas Pickle is an Old World Christmas Tradition, handed down to us by Salusa Glassworks.

Traditionally, the first person to find the Christmas Pickle hidden in the tree gets a little something extra. In some families, the finder can open the first gift on Christmas Eve, while other families give an extra gift to the lucky pickle person.

We were told this is a German tradition, but one of our colleagues thinks it's entirely made up.

What do you think? Do you hide a Christmas Pickle in your tree? Do you think it's hogwash? Please weigh in!

2010-10-11T13:24:00.000-07:00

Oysters, by Alison Evans

This weekend is OysterFest. If it's anything like years past, there will be roughly 15,000 people eating oysters in our town! Have you been to Wellfleet? That's a lot of people.

And a lot of oysters.

Check out the OysterFest website for details and schedule of events. There's so much to do! It's one of our favorite weekends.

We'll be open, of course, and would love to see you.

Deborah Howard reception - tonight!

2010-10-09T04:35:00.000-07:00

Come meet Deborah Howard and enjoy our Oyster bar at a reception for Deborah's new show, A New Season Begins, this evening at Left Bank Gallery in Wellfleet (25 Commercial Street).

The dynamic nature of Cape Cod and its ever-changing landscape is a recurrent theme in Deborah Howard's paintings. Her childhood on the Cape gave her the opportunity to observe and experience the subtle and significant changes of this environment. "I was able to watch how the light impacts color and feel the weather change as it approached from the horizon," she says. "It is a place I visit often, both in work and in my life."

Deborah Howard graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree from the University of Massachusetts and continued her studies at the Massachusetts College of Art graduate program. She has exhibited in New York and Boston.

Deborah Howard:A New Season Begins
now through October 31

Reception: Saturday, October 9, 5-7pm
25 Commercial Street, Wellfleet

*At OysterFest, we'll be on Main Street in front of Town Hall.
Come say hello!

Deborah Howard "A New Season Begins" oil on panel 40"x50"

Bread Pots!

2010-09-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

I've been making no-knead bread since reading about it in the New York Times a few years ago. It makes a loaf of bread that will amaze your friends - if it ever gets that far. In our family, the bread never lasts more than an afternoon.

Why am I telling you all this? Because Judith Motzkin's been making no-knead bread, too. And where I had to do with an odd covered casserole, she up and made herself a bread pot.

To our great delight, she made enough to share with us. Here are some getting ready for the kiln:

Come by to pick one out in person, or email us for photos of current stock. They're all slightly different and each one has Judy's rye bread recipe written inside the lid so you'll never forget how to make the easiest bread ever.

Bread pots include a little note from Judy that says "because I needed one."

We need one, too.

now through August 27

2010-08-18T08:47:00.000-07:00

Fay Shutzer, Jennifer O'Connell, Brian Kiernan - now showing

2010-08-05T13:44:00.000-07:00

Here's how the gallery looks:

Cosmonaut Volkov and an edible still life

2010-08-04T08:27:00.000-07:00

When people visit the gallery, they ask lots of questions unrelated to art. Questions about lunch, coffee and beach stickers, for instance. In the case of lunch, people get more of an answer than they bargained for.

One of our favorite places to go is the South Wellfleet General Store, in the now impossibly-trendy SoWo neighborhood (alongside Route 6 at LeCount Hollow Road, across from Blackfish Creek). If you are remotely hungry right now, you might want to skip this.

Chef Tony took over the kitchen this year and has changed the way Wellfleet eats. Some of the seasonal sandwiches he's making at the moment are:

Fresh Striped Bass with fried green tomatoes and onion marmalade on a griddled Portuguese roll
Grilled bluefish with Portuguese vinegar onions and braised radicchio
The Uncle Vasco - Portuguese chourizo with peppers
Slow-cured roast pork, pickled onions, local baby arugula and apple mayo

On the kids menu they have a Nutella banana panini. You don't have to pretend it's for a kid (trust us).

It should go without saying that they use only fresh, local ingredients. If you're curious about what kinds of ingredients they use, take a look in the produce section. Fresh produce comes from Redberry Farm (Eastham), Nestwood Farm (Truro) and Sixpence Farm (Truro).

The growers at Sixpence Farm are so proud of the produce they bring Tony (and he's the only one they sell to), they've provided cards that make for great summer reading.

If you can't read the sign, it says:

"Cosmonaut Volkov
This is not a plum tomato! It is a Ukrainian Russian heirloom - smuggled across the Iron Curtain during the Cold War. Named for the Soviet astronaut who lost his tether and floated off into space. Komrade Volkov is orbiting the earth as you are reading this."

Now that we think about it, people are asking questions about art. Haricot vert with garlic olive oil and sea salt art.

It's time for lunch.

"To me, this is what heaven must look like."

2010-07-20T17:57:00.000-07:00

Recently we asked our facebook friends "if you could inhabit a painting, which would you pick?" Here are some answers (with paintings we picked to go with them):

"Easy- any Mary Bourke involving swimmin, cats, bikes and pie." - Jennifer

"any one of Jim Holland's paintings I would inhabit. Ahhh, bliss! Just thinking of this having just gotten home from work, I feel my muscles relax, I see the light he paints that I see at the Cape so often and feel the serene atmosphere. I smell the sea breeze and feel it on my skin despite being on the mainland as I write." - Kate

"I would be happy living inside any of Jim Holland's paintings too ... but I'd be equally happy living inside one of Peter Coes' works. The pastel color schemes, the recurring appearances of idyllic settings, dollhouses, lighthouses and cats ... the ocean viewed through an open window with fluttering curtains ... a vase of freshly-picked flowers atop a carved wooden table ... the intensely imaginative symbolism. To me, this is what heaven must look like." - Beverly

Jim Holland' watercolors

2010-06-29T04:33:00.001-07:00

We have 12 new watercolors by Jim Holland at the small works gallery in Wellfleet (3 West Main Street).

Jim's paintings walk the fine line between what a scene looks like and what we think it looks like. It's idealized photorealism and it captures what we love most about our surroundings. Have a look.

Don Krohn, photographer

2010-06-23T07:15:00.000-07:00

Shadow Study, Zagreb

Don Krohn began taking photographs as a child, and later went on to master the traditional photographic arts and become an expert printer in the tradition of Ansel Adams and Edward Weston. Although he is entirely self-taught, he has mastered virtually all aspects of the medium, ranging from photojournalistic style 35mm work to meditative large format photographic studies, working both in color and black-and-white. He has produced a highly regarded and constantly evolving body of work, and his images have been published internationally, shown in numerous museums and galleries, and are held in numerous public and private collections, including, locally, the Cape Cod Museum of Art. He has photographed in locales throughout the United States and in foreign places as diverse as Nepal, Ireland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia, among many others.

His work was recognized by Minor White, the famous mentor to a generation of photographers, as having “a definite sense of humanistic and symbolic presence.” Davis Pratt, for years the noted photography director at Harvard’s Fogg Art Museum, while curating a one-man show of Krohn’s work, described him as “one of the most talented and innovative photographic practitioners he had ever encountered.”

In the South of France, an award-winning book published by David R. Godine, is comprised of Krohn’s writings and photographs taken while living in France. He is currently working on a new book.

In addition to working as an artist, Krohn, an Orleans resident, has been active in civic preservation and educational activities. He drafted his town’s landmark Architectural Review Bylaw, and was the first president of the Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter School. He is a founding partner of the Orleans Whole Food Store and Orleans’ Main Street Books, and has earned degrees from Brandeis University and Harvard Law School.

* * *

“Photography is an obsessive passion. So much effort to get everything right, all the technical and artistic decisions: layers of questions about composition, camera angle, format, film choice, lens and shutter settings, optics, processing, printing. And even though I have spent decades deepening and refining my knowledge about these issues, they are by far the easier things to handle in the creative process. These are the variables more or less in my control. “The vast territory that is not in my control presents the greater and more exhilarating challenge: changing light, shadow patterns, a person's expression, the shape of a mountain, the time of year. In short, all the wonderful wide world. As a photographer working in natural environments, outside of the studio, I have no control over what I am looking at, but I try to see it as clearly and profoundly as possible, and to communicate, in my images, something about what I am seeing and why I want to look at it, and in turn something about myself. It is an interactive process in which I am something of a catalyst, and which I have come to call, in my personal lexicon, ‘the influence of light.’

“My images are photographs, and the prints are called archival pigment prints. They are matted on 8 ply archival mat board and backed by archival foam core, and all are produced in limited editions of ten plus one artist’s proof. As to media, the paper is Breathing Color Elegance 300gsm 100% cotton fine art paper, and the inks are museum grade Epson UltraChrome K3. The editions are produced by Bob Korn Imaging, one of the nation’s most acclaimed fine art digital print shops. By limiting my editions strictly to ten, I enhance the current and future value of my work, both for the casual buyer and the serious collector.”

Click here to see more of Don's work.

Jill McGowan

2010-06-07T11:01:00.000-07:00

Just in - beautiful new shirts from Jill McGowan! We love her style and her attitude:

"I'm often asked if I'm doing anything 'green.' More than a gimmick, clearly, quality is green. Clothes you love and wear again and again? Green. Fabrics and fine workmanship that last? Green. And a garment designed and made right here in the USA? Knock a few feet off your carbon footprint!" - Jill McGowan

It turns out Jill McGowan is yet another thing we have in common with Martha Stewart.* She likes Jill's white shirts as much as we do.

*(we knew there was something)

Katie Trinkle Legge

2010-05-31T11:35:00.000-07:00

"I started to take painting lessons when I was 9 or 10... my father was also a painter, so it was in the blood. I just always wanted to do it." - Katie Trinkle Legge

Last July Nantucket Today magazine did a gorgeous article on Katie Trinkle Legge. You can read it on their website.

Photo above by Nicole Harnishfeger

2010 show schedule

2010-05-31T09:01:00.000-07:00

July 3-16
Jim Holland

July 17-30
Mary Bourke
Ellen Granter
Katie Trinkle Legge

July 31-August 13
Fay Shutzer
Jennifer O'Connell
Brian Kiernan

August 14-27
Graceann Warn
Peter Batchelder

Saturday receptions 6-8pm
opening day of each show

25 Commercial Street
Wellfleet

above: Jim Holland"Red dory" oil on canvas 36"x 30"

party in Orleans, this Friday

2010-03-30T19:02:00.000-07:00

Please come to a farewell party for

Arthur & Laverne Bauman

Friday, April 2
2-5pm

at Left Bank Gallery
8 Cove Road, Orleans

Arthur Bauman is an artist, musician and friend. His mobiles have helped define our gallery on Commercial Street since the early '90s. (If we had a dollar for every time we heard someone describe our gallery as "the one with the mobiles," we'd have a nice pot of cash with which to bribe Arthur and Laverne to stay.)

Arthur is also a member of Oyez!, an ensemble of Cape musicians formed in 1997 to perform music of the Renaissance.

Arthur and Laverne will be moving across the country next month, where he will continue to make mobiles. We know their new community will soon realize what a treasure it's been given.

Save the Crows !

2010-03-26T18:27:00.001-07:00

Since man’s earliest history the Raven and Crow have held a high and honored position in our mythology and spirituality.The Norse God Odin had two ravens, “Thought” and “Memory”, which he would send to fly around the world each day so they could report back to him events as they unfolded.Native American tradition holds the Raven~Crow as the courier of energy flow that brings about change and creates new realities. The raven, being black, is associated for them with the “void” from which all energy flows.Northwest coastal tribes believed Raven was the creator of the Heavens, the Earth and the Sea. It was he who brought forth the light and lifted us out of the darkness. He was very wise but he was also known to be a “trickster”.[Photo]Aesop's "The Crow and the Pitcher" illustrates Crow's intelligence and how "necessity is the mother of invention".Since man’s earliest history the Raven and Crow have held a high and honored position in our mythology and spirituality.The Norse God Odin had two ravens, “Thought” and “Memory”, which he would send to fly around the world each day so they could report back to him events as they unfolded.Native American tradition holds the Raven~Crow as the courier of energy flow that brings about change and creates new realities. The raven, being black, is associated for them with the “void” from which all energy flows.Northwest coastal tribes believed Raven was the creator of the Heavens, the Earth and the Sea. It was he who brought forth the light and lifted us out of the darkness. He was very wise but he was also known to be a “trickster”.[Photo]Aesop's "The Crow and the Pitcher" illustrates Crow's intelligence and how "necessity is the mother of invention".For Southwestern Native Americans the Raven~Crow was their “Storyteller”. Passing down knowledge and wisdom from generation to generation through myths, stories and parables. Listeners beware! Raven was also a trickster, one could never be sure if the story he told was a simple truth or held some more mischievous lesson....Ravens are considered by many to be the most intelligent of the birds, and they are known for collecting bright, shiny or colorful objects to decorate their nests.For me they represent the “scavenger” or “gatherer” of my found objects from the past.The key Raven~Crow holds symbolizes the opening of doors and the welcoming of positive change into our lives.When Raven~Crow is perched on a ball he serves as a representation of living in balance.If he is perched on a heart, it is to help us remember that which is most important in our lives.Raven~Crow sometimes holds a pair of dice to symbolize chance or fate.The egg relates to new beginnings, to potential and to family and ancestry.If he holds an old watch it is to remind us of our place in the universe and to live in the moment.Raven~Crow uses a compass to help us find our way or to give us direction. For Southwestern Native Americans the Raven~Crow was their “Storyteller”. Passing down knowledge and wisdom from generation to generation through myths, stories and parables. Listeners beware! Raven was also a trickster, one could never be sure if the story he told was a simple truth or held some more mischievous lesson....Ravens are considered by many to be the most intelligent of the birds, and they are known for collecting bright,ey Raven~Crow holds symbolizes the opening of doors and the welcoming of positive change into our lives.When Raven~Crow is perched on a ball he serves as a representation of living in balance.If he is perched on a heart, it is to help us remember that which is most important in our lives.Raven~Crow sometimes holds a pair of dice to symbolize chance or fate.The egg relates to new beginnings, to potential and to family and ancestry.If he holds an old watch it is to remind us of our place in the universe and to live in the moment.Raven~Crow uses a compass to help us find our way or to give us direction.

Mark Orr's new work can be viewed on our Facebook page.

Joyce Zavorskas at Cahoon Museum

2010-03-15T13:46:00.000-07:00

Places With Wind

Documenting the Familiar

Monotypes by Joyce Zavorskas

Cahoon Museum of American Art

March 10- April 18, 2010

Members Reception: March 19, 5-7 pm

Artist Talk: April 6, 11 am

This collection of new work documents the constantly changing

ocean edges from dawn to dusk. and explores color, shape and

texture of water, wind and sand.

Lecture by Fran Forman @ Brandeis

2010-03-11T17:28:00.000-08:00

Fran Forman is giving a lecture at
Brandeis University, Women's Studies Research Center
Waltham, MA
on March 23

Fran is currently a Resident Scholar at the Women's Studies Research Center at Brandeis University and has taught at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and Castle Hill Art Center in Truro, Massachusetts. Her work has been published and exhibited widely and can be found in the collections of the Griffin Museum of Photography and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

nostalgia, and some Ben Accorso beauties

2010-03-08T15:47:00.000-08:00

We used to photograph our jewelry by laying it on the scanner and draping a background over it. And when we tried to photograph it, we couldn't figure out why everything came out blurry (hint: no macro lens). Thank you for your patience as our technical skill catches up with the technical skill of our jewelers.

(a scanner! eeeeep!)

Bev Gallerani in Metal Clay Artist Mag

2010-03-08T08:20:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Bev for being noticed by people in the know!

Beverly Gallerani's mermaid necklace was in Metal Clay Artist Magazine (Volume I, Issue 2). It's a one-of-a-kind piece, available here and waiting just for you.

Tom Kruskal in sterling

2010-03-01T11:45:00.000-08:00

Hey all you wearers of silver, Tom Kruskal is now your man. He's making a few of his trademark pieces in sterling and they look fantastic. For those of us who don't wear gold or would like to not pay gold prices, this is a happy day.

Available in Wellfleet. Come see!

workshop with Fran Forman, March 10-21

2010-02-28T17:11:00.000-08:00

Fran Forman will be teaching a workshop March 10-21 in Watertown, MA with Karin Rosenthal:
TRANSFORMING REALITIES: IN-CAMERA & IN PHOTOSHOP

Fran studied art and sociology at Brandeis University and received an MFA from Boston University's School of Fine Arts. Between working in the fields of illustration and graphic design and raising two daughters, Fran continued to create personal art, combining her illustrative and photographic skills with a passion for surrealism, paradox, illusion, assemblage, the non-human world, and the dislocations of time and place.

David Urso

2010-02-23T09:52:00.001-08:00

When all else fails, wear fabulous jewelry. In fact, do it anyway.

Fran Forman workshop, Philadelphia, PA

2010-02-11T17:21:00.000-08:00

Fran Forman will teach
Creating the Digital Montage
harness your imagination with modern tools
at Project Basho in Philadelphia
March 6-7, 2010

See projectbasho.org for more details

From her course description:

"The photographic digital collage technique is perfectly suited to portray the imagined world of idea, memory, and emotion. In this hands-on workshop, students will explore the multi-faceted art of the photographic composite. Our explorations will incorporate visual materials into existing images to create dream-like and surreal montages."

Sonoma saves the day

2010-02-08T07:43:00.000-08:00

We hope everyone's staying warm in the DC area! One customer who lost power told us she took her Sonoma Lavender blanket to a neighbor's house (different grid), heated it up and went home to keep cozy.

Proof that American Crafts can improve the quality of your life.

Workshop with Joyce Zavorskas

2010-01-12T18:22:00.000-08:00

Shifting Priorites 12x12 monoprint 2009

Joyce Zavorskas is teaching a workshop this weekend

Abstract Monotype/Monoprint
at Falmouth Art Center

January 16 -17, 2010
(Jan. 18, optional third day)
9:30-3:30pm

Explore abstract shapes and textures with contemporary printmaking techniques. Spontaneous painting and drawing approaches are applied to flat or textured plates and transferred to paper with a single pass of the press. Glistening layers of radiant oil ink create truly unique images with depth, mystery, or veils of memory and possibilities. Beginners will be rewarded with magical surprises. There will be daily demonstrations along with individual discussion of work in progress. The instructor will bring large rollers, including “Big Bertha”. Lab fee includes inks and basic supplies.

Call Falmouth Artist Guild to register: 508-540-3304
http://www.falmouthart.org/

presentation by Fran Forman, 1/20/10

2010-01-11T17:05:00.000-08:00

Fran Forman will be giving a lecture and presentation at Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown, MA on January 20. Please visit arsenalarts.org for more info.

Fran is currently a Resident Scholar at the Women's Studies Research Center at Brandeis University and has taught at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and Castle Hill Art Center in Truro, Massachusetts. Her work has been published and exhibited widely and can be found in the collections of the Griffin Museum of Photography and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

Tin Men

2010-01-11T10:22:00.000-08:00

Tin Men, by Valerie Bunnell, coming soon to a website near you. If you can't wait to see them, stop by the gallery and say hello!

"Old dolls, marionettes and puppets continue to fascinate me with their enigmatic spirits and hidden past lives. As an artist I have always wanted to create unusual objects that could refer to other realities, which would possess a mysterious logic of existence. My first ceramic figure began as a kind of recreation of an antique doll.

As I carve, texture and mark the clay, a narrative identity emerges. The narrative implications of the work seem to originate as much with the viewer as with myself. In the Tin men series the antique container inspires the character. These one-of-a-kind figures display a richness of texture and hand coloring. Whether suspended or standing on their own, one may discover their personalities, open them up, and even use them to hide small treasures." - Valerie Bunnell

Things we wish we got for Christmas, but haven't yet

2009-12-28T08:03:00.000-08:00

Flameware. We are crazy about Flameware.

The young man in the Orleans gallery with me this morning, who is heck-bent on making me want lunch by 10:15am, is telling me all the delicious things that can be done in Flameware. Broiled fish, sauces with sauted garlic and pies. Oh, the pies!

Need I say more?

We carry Flameware in Orleans and Wellfleet. Check our website to see specific styles, or stop by and share recipes.

Winding River clothing company

2009-12-21T11:36:00.000-08:00

It's not my fault. It was cold when I got to work this morning. And the coat was jut THERE, waiting for me to buy it.

These Winding River jackets are made by a family-run business based in Braintree, MA. They are reversible and come in a bunch of groovy fabrics. They are spectacularly easy to justify. If you succumb to one, we won't tell.

It's party time!

2009-12-18T18:29:00.000-08:00

They were a little nervous about breaking things, but Randy and the Oak Trees were a perfect addition to Left Bank Gallery! Many thanks to the band, and to everyone who came out on this cold, cold night. It was pretty worth it.

More pictures are on our Facebook page. Come see!

Jody Craven

2009-12-01T09:05:00.000-08:00

If you attend Nauset Regional High School, and you have an interest in metals, Jody Craven would be your teacher.

Can you imagine how cool that would be?

on gifting

2009-11-30T06:07:00.001-08:00

This is the time of year when we are not sure if we're heroes or villains.

Everything around us says "buy! buy! buy!" and if we are honest, we are saying it, too. It's the time of year when we are best able to get these beautiful things off the shelves and into homes. And pay the mortgage. We are idealistic and pragmatic. So in some ways, we are part of the Holiday Consumer Machine. The "show your love with stuff" machine.

We like to think of ourselves as more than just a cog, though. Or rather, we are a cog in a different kind of machine.

Last year we proudly supported the Handmade Pledge. It echoed much of our own reasoning - and gave good incentive for shopping at places like Left Bank. What's not to like?

To some extent, we also supported the No Buy campaign. Which might be considered self-defeating.

We say "no" to commercial gifts that an advertising mechanism says we need to buy. We say "no" to the "more is more" mentality and the culture of waste. We say "no" to being sold a bill of goods that benefits no one in the long term.

That said, we have no desire to shut down the whole gift-giving culture. Not only would we be shooting ourselves in the foot, but we like getting and giving presents just as much as the next guy. Giving makes us feel good. Helping other people give makes us feel good, too. We love finding the perfect gift instead of the panic gift.

Intentionally or unintentionally, we are all voting with our dollars this season. When you buy from a store that supports American craft, you are giving your money to people all over the country who spend their lives making things just a little more human. The medium AND the message are completely different from what we're being sold commercially.

It's probably obvious where our votes are being cast. And judging from the fact that you've read this far, we're probably preaching to the choir. (You sing beautifully, btw.)

Let's work together this year to bring joy, generosity and good will back into the spotlight. It's been overshadowed by profit for too long.

Let's be heroes.

Sally Craig

2009-11-25T13:52:00.000-08:00

You could show up at your holiday office party wearing your bathrobe if you were wearing these Sally Craig earrings with it. We're not suggesting that you should, mind you, but they are that gorgeous.

Beppa jackets

2009-11-24T13:50:00.000-08:00

We have several gorgeous, new wool jackets by Beppa in Wellfleet. Come try one on!

Aaron Sober ceramics

2009-11-23T09:32:00.000-08:00

Thou shalt not covet, thou shalt not covet, thou shalt not....

Too late.

I want them.

Dale Mark & everyday-use pottery

2009-11-21T08:16:00.000-08:00

This just in! Pottery by Dale Mark:

"My start with pottery occurred when I volunteered on an archaeological excavation of a 19th century red earthenware pottery. What a thrill! Soon, I realized I wanted to make pots. After travelling through various pottery classes and a stint in a college ceramic program, in 1995 I opened a studio and began learning.

I work alone, accompanied by a radio, throwing pots on a wheel. My vessels are made with porcelain, decorated with colour slips underneath a variety of coloured glazes, then fired in a reduction kiln to 2380C. Two traditions influence my pots. The initial exposure to everyday-use pottery made by those long-ago local country potters with straightforward forms, simple glazes and minimal decoration, and Chinese porcelains with their balanced copper and celadon glazed vessels." - Dale Mark

McKenzie River Pottery

2009-11-18T08:13:00.000-08:00

These? Crack me up.

Swallow

2009-11-15T13:57:00.000-08:00

What has everyone been looking at lately in Wellfleet? These rings by Swallow.

Kaleidoscope Pottery

2009-11-14T08:00:00.000-08:00

"Each piece of Leafware is created by hand in our small, New England studio. The leaves used for the designs are picked from our garden and the surrounding area; we use over thirty varieties of leaves. The process involves using the actual leaf impressions, making each piece unique."

We've added new shapes to our page of Kaleidoscope Pottery. Check them out!

Holly Hauser explores the process

2009-11-13T12:28:00.000-08:00

We were in the mood for something bright today.

"Texture and layers of bright and muted hues create the composition. The viewer is welcomed into the art making process as some areas of drawing are left as is, evoking a conversation between evolving parts. The theme of relationship is also explored in the ways that the flowers and fruit lean on and support each other." - Holly Hauser

Read Holly's bio on our website (and see the rest of this series).

Fred Perreault goes local and stays there

2009-11-11T12:05:00.000-08:00

Just arrived in Orleans!

Fred Perreault (an 8th generation Cape Codder, for anyone who's counting) recovers wood from area job sites and makes bowls, platters and serving boards. He uses locust, red oak, various maples, white oak, red cedar, black walnut, cherry, poplar, hickory and ash.

We have a few photos posted on the website. Call or drop by to see what's currently available. All pieces are one of a kind.

Todd Reed

2009-11-10T09:18:00.000-08:00

"It started as a way to question society about the idea of perceived value. In particular how value and perceived value relate to ideas of beauty or perfection that have become norms of society.

There are certain ad campaigns, such as, "She'll like you at a half carat, but she'll love you at a carat.", that prompted me to make this line of jewelry. This would be a line of jewelry that really did use the most perfect diamond in the world, the actual raw diamond. Uncut. Unpolished. Natural, perfect geometry. That was around 1994 when this idea really started to take off.

I am a self-taught goldsmith and metalsmith, and very much enjoy the hard work that goes into each piece. I have been extremely fortunate in that my work has won many international awards, and is frequently included in books, trade publications, and consumer magazines. My work can be seen at the finest shows and exhibitions in galleries and museums around the world. My work continues to grow as I grow, and I am still inspired by most everything. Beauty and nature are endless inspiration." - Todd Reed

Flameware - everyday handmade

2009-11-09T07:39:00.000-08:00

In preparation for a woodfire show, we asked some of our potter friends to comment on handmade vs. commercial pottery (which is like asking the choir to comment on elevator music). This is what Sequoia Miller had to say:

I find using industrial ceramics to be like having a conversation with a mute person. Handmade objects have a particular point of view that is a combination of the maker, the material, and the user. Using handmade anything simply gives you more to respond to. It’s like riding a horse versus driving a car, only much less inconvenient.

Bearing that in mind, meet Flameware, by Terry Silverman

I, for one, have some great serving pieces but am not a fan of making extra dirty dishes for everyday meals. Flameware is safe to put on the stove top and in the oven, so you can cook in it AND serve out of it.

There really is something about interacting with handmade items that makes life just a little more nourishing.

Flameware makes a coffee pot, baking pans, skillets, sauce pans, butter warmers and more. Check them out on our website and find them in the gallery on Commercial Street in Wellfleet.

It's like riding a horse, only less inconvenient.

Welcome, Toby!

2009-10-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Liz Kinder, whose gorgeous baby girl arrived on October 16!

Nice bassinet, btw.

Oyster Fest 2009!

2009-10-16T05:40:00.000-07:00

It's raining
It's pouring
The oysters
Are snoring

It's time for the Wellfleet Oyster Fest and we're not going to let a little wind and rain get us down. There's music! and oysters! and competitive shucking!

In other words, there's nothing else quite like it.

Many of our friends and family have booths - selling art, crafts and oysters. Go tell them hello, won't you?

new in Orleans

2009-10-07T09:11:00.000-07:00

Audrey's being particularly diabolic these days. She's found several new lines of sweaters and scarves that are exquisitely hard to resist. In fact, I took one for the team and bought a drapey sweater in blue boucle just this morning.

It seemed the least I could do.

Ellen Rolli comes over the bridge

2009-10-06T07:44:00.001-07:00

I think it's safe to say Ellen Rolli enjoyed her residency at the Fine Art Work Center in Provincetown.

Silva Studio

2009-10-02T11:19:00.000-07:00

Bold and sculptural, Eric Silva's jewelry garners double takes wherever it goes. Silva incorporates environmentally conscious materials, such as rustic silver, recycled wood and shed antler. Check out more on our website, and email us for current inventory!

Anna Whitmore

2009-09-30T11:12:00.000-07:00

Anna Whitmore makes some of our favorite jewelry. Each piece has a description of what it represents: strength, tranquility, independence, etc. This one represents peace, and incorporates a sterling silver olive leaf.

We've just posted more pieces on our website!

Teresa McCue

2009-09-29T08:49:00.000-07:00

This just in! New pastels by Teresa McCue.

Odin Smith

2009-09-26T12:08:00.000-07:00

Just posted to website - new paintings by Odin Smith.

Lora Mallory

2009-09-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

Lora Mallory worked at Left Bank a couple summers ago. It's always so great to see awesome people making awesome jewelry.

Gregory Kammerer

2009-09-24T09:28:00.000-07:00

We've just posted a whole new page of Gregory Kammerer's work - take a look!

Baharal + Gnida

2009-09-23T10:06:00.000-07:00

These necklaces are total show stoppers.

Del-Bourree Bach

2009-09-22T11:19:00.000-07:00

New paintings are up on the website!

Small Works

2009-09-16T11:07:00.000-07:00

If you won the lottery, would you go back to work?

Apparently I would. I've worked for Left Bank over the last several years, but have mostly been a quasi-stay-at-home mom. Which is almost like winning the lottery.

Now the babies are not babies, and I've been invited to hold down the fort in Wellfleet a couple days a week. I can't believe how happy I am to be here. First of all, oh my lord THE JEWELRY. I swear I spend the first couple hours just deciding what to wear.* Second, CONVERSATIONS! WITH ADULTS! It's pretty dreamy, especially when those adults are here to talk about art and try on some jewelry.

So come by and say hello! Who knows how long they'll let me stay. But while I'm here, I'm happy to talk art with you. And make lunch suggestions. I'm particularly good at that.

*don't tell Gerry. He already wonders why he pays me.

Horseshoe Crabs

2009-08-24T10:22:00.000-07:00

These? Are cool.

Ceramic horseshoe crabs by Mark Rea. 8.5" wide x 18" long. $185. Hang them on a wall or set them on a table.

They're in Wellfleet - go get one! Or call and have it swim to you.

Speaking of horseshoe crabs, have you seen Allison Argo's documentary on them? Crash: A Tale of Two Species (click to watch full episode).

Allison makes documentary films for PBS' Nature series. We dig her.

Bill Starke

2009-08-11T10:21:00.000-07:00

Bill Starke recently installed this sculpture in a Sun Valley, ID home. Each climber is approximately 24" from hand to heel.

Bill tells us there are sculptures making their way east to Left Bank, so very soon you can have a Starke sculpture of your very own. He's sent sculptures from his Balance series, some Skydivers, a Trojan Horse, a Solitary Climber (new!), an A/P edition of Rope Climbers and Samaritan (also new!).

Please call the Orleans gallery for more information on Bill's sculptures: 508-247-9172.

See the sculptures here.

Amy Kaufman

2009-08-10T07:56:00.000-07:00

Amy Kaufman and Ted Saleme at Amy's opening in Wellfleet.

Graceann Warn & Ellen Granter

2009-07-30T17:56:00.000-07:00

Ellen Granter: Recent Works
Graceann Warn: Invention
opens Saturday

The 2009 summer season continues at Left Bank Gallery
with shows by Graceann Warn and Ellen Granter,
opening Saturday, August 1 at 10am

Meet the artists at a gallery reception
Saturday evening, August 1
from 6 to 8pm.
The show will be on exhibit through August 14

New paintings are available for preview on our website:
Ellen Granter
Graceann Warn

above: Graceann Warn, "Storyboard," encaustic assemblage, 17" x 49"
below: Ellen Granter, "Sandpipers II," oil, 12" x 36"

Amy Kaufman, Mary Bourke and Jennifer O'Connell - now through Friday

2009-07-27T09:46:00.000-07:00

The gallery season continues at Left Bank Gallery with an exhibit by three New England artists: Mary Bourke, Amy Kaufman and Jennifer O'Connell. The show will be on exhibit through July 31.

Mary Bourke's new body of work, Standing in Time, explores recurring themes of family and nostalgia.

"In my paintings I have attempted to carve out a portion of time and space in history , even if it is just my own small history," says Bourke. "These paintings have become a small part of the whole, almost like pieces of a puzzle. They have become my voice."

Amy Kaufman's one-of-a-kind painted monotypes are made by combining direct painting with impressions made using the printing press. With oil-based inks, Kaufman paints on a smooth sheet of plexiglas. The plate is then run through a press so that the image from the plate is transferred to paper. The pressure from the roller of the press determines how much ink from the plate will be imbedded into the paper. Sometimes Kaufman will do an overprint, repeating the process on the same sheet of paper, or she may paint directly on the paper.

Says Kaufman of the process: "The element of surprise as you slowly take the paper off the plate after it is run through the press is always exciting. The unique impression achieved from printmaking has to do with more than just what you paint: the inks, the press, and the paper. I enjoy exploring this printmaking process finding it creative, challenging, intriguing, and satisfying."

Jennifer O'Connell's representational interiors in oil are new to Left Bank Gallery this season.

"Obscure, private visions that alienate the mind in daylight, keep a potent mooring within me," says O'Connell. "Inspired by what the mind conjures, perception is influenced by contemplation. Shadows, objects, and shapes are gateways to memories. Imaginings mingle with perceptions. In dreaming before rooms, I come in contact with transient psychological aspects. Literally and symbolically, the interior space is the self."

Jody Craven

2009-07-13T10:51:00.000-07:00

A high school boy came in to see Jody Craven's work today. He has taken Jody's art metal and jewelry classes at Nauset High School and is planning an independent for the fall.

Lucky bugger.

Hardwear by Renee

2009-07-07T13:58:00.000-07:00

In today's episode of What is Susan Freaking Out About in the Gallery Now? we meet this lovely Hardwear by Renee handbag:

Yes, the picture is taken at my house because I succumbed to the charms of this particular bag. In the background is the zucchini plant that is plotting world domination. But that is neither here nor there.

Things I love about my brandy spandy new Hardwear by Renee handbag:

It is made from leftover marine vinyl, which means it's environmentally friendly AND can be wiped off.
The bottom is wood, so it stays flat instead of flopping over and spilling its contents all over the place.
I get tons of compliments about it and everyone wants to know where I got it.

We don't have them up on the website (someone was too busy picking out which one she wanted to take pictures), but if you call the gallery, they can tell you what sizes and colors are available. 508-247-9172 (Orleans) or 508-349-7939 (Wellfleet)

And then you can just sit back and acknowledge the compliments.

Fobots

2009-07-06T13:20:00.000-07:00

Fobots!

From the website:

Each Fobot is numbered, with a copper plate on its back bearing the word "FOBOT" and its individual number. We call them butt tags.
Warning: Fobots are not toys, they are not functional, and they will not go on a rampage while you sleep. May contain lead solder (duh!), so don't eat them.

You can see our Fobots here.

Jim Holland - sneak peek!

2009-06-30T11:02:00.001-07:00

While the new paintings won't arrive for another few days, you can see them ahead of time on our website!

The Jim's show opens at 10am on Saturday, with an artist reception from 6 to 8pm. Please come by!

The exhibit continues through July 17.

Jim Holland in American Art Collector

2009-06-23T06:29:00.000-07:00

"Being an artist is a very personal thing. For me, I tend to go for things that are iconic and emblematic."
- Jim Holland, in American Art Collector.

(click the picture to read the article)

New Brochure!

2009-06-11T09:59:00.000-07:00

We're saving trees and landfills and stamps, oh my!

Click the schedule, above, and you can see our 2009 brochure - online! This year we added statements from each artist, and because it's interactive, you can click through to their web pages and see new work as soon as it's posted.

Mark your calenders! We have some great shows lined up for you.

making art with art, for art

2009-06-08T08:39:00.000-07:00

Cindy Knight created this gorgeous arrangement for the MFA's Art in Bloom, using a Willsea-O'Brien Funnel Vase.

2009 show schedule

2009-05-23T15:09:00.001-07:00

July 4 - 17
Jim Holland
Reception:
July 4, 6 to 8pm

July 18 - 31
Mary Bourke
Jennifer O’Connell
Amy Kaufman
Reception:
July 18, 6 to 8pm

August 1- 14
Ellen Granter
Graceann Warn
Reception:
August 1, 6 to 8pm

August 15 - 28
Del-Bourree Bach
Peter Batchelder
Steven Kennedy
Joyce Zavorskas
Reception:
August 15, 6 to 8pm

All shows are at 25 Commercial Street, Wellfleet

Paintings will be posted to the website for preview 48 hours before each show opens.

Ellen Welch Granter - 2009 show statement

2009-05-18T07:02:00.000-07:00

My paintings are an expression of my desire to create beautiful and pure images of my favorite subjects. For me, the point of painting them is not to create a souvenir image of a place, or an accurate illustration, but rather to try to capture the subject’s barest essence in a sparely composed way using a lush palette and rich textures.
The subjects of my paintings all come from my pesronal experience. My process usually begins with my own orignal photographs or sketches, then I strip away most of the details. I try to balance the composition over large luminous fields of layered color. I work quickly, in short bursts of concentration in an effort to allow the looseness and inspiration of the original idea to remain intact.
Using large fields of undifferentiated color, I am trying to concentrate attention on the subject, such as the heart-stoppingly delicate smallness of a bird in the vastness of the sky, or the constellation of a group of birds as they alight and take off, or the patterns of wriggiling turtles swimming around a pond. As a counterpoint to the color fields, I incorporate linear elements such as reeds, powerlines, fences, or branches to help bring the scale of the subjects into focus. By keeping some edges blurred and some crisp and building in varying levels of abstraction, the image stays in motion and comes to life.
What is interesting to me about my recent work is how the repetition of forms such as the house sparrow has allowed the myriad small variations and permutation that happen to become more important. This repetitive approach to my creative process has surprisingly multiplied for me the variety of ideas to explore.

Joyce Gardner Zavorskas - show statement

2009-05-18T06:59:00.000-07:00

My muse is shifting sand and clay, slipping and sliding, enduring then uncertain.

Random patterns and rhythms appear and disappear, earth without embellishment, elusive and uncertain. Cliffs, after storms, are scoured and blasted battlefields, canvases with nature’s wrath and fury etched on their facades. Restless and uprooted fragments of organic matter, like discarded trash, litter their slopes. Bearing witness to a changing world, the cliffs endure, our silent ocean sentinels.

The experience of being in the landscape provides an amphitheater of natural phenomena, an arena of complex, naked earth. Things in nature are in metamorphosis, transmuting minute by minute; a serene refuge of the spirit one day, drastically altered and menacing the next. Crusted layers of pigment on canvas or luminous etching ink on gritted plates relate to layers of land observed over time. Revisiting landscape close to home builds familiarity and personal connection, and that understanding reveals aspects of my identity in the world and my place within it.

Hiking to remote areas to sketch and paint on site provides my initial reference material, edited to essentials in the studio. Retreating to the studio provides distance from observation, an opportunity to edit and explore with more diverse materials, brushstrokes, brayers or wax. Canvas is activated with crusted layered surfaces, sanded and painted many times, as are the layered monoprint plates, uniquely inked and wiped, letting go of specificity and allowing pigment to create the work in both media.

Observed phenomena documents fragments of time, intuitively and spontaneously. These paintings journal my familiar, my origins, the places on earth visited since childhood. I feel a reverence for these authentic, iconic and evolving natural monuments; birthplace for cliff swallows and soul-place for me.

Explorer's Guide

2009-05-08T19:18:00.001-07:00

We're recommended!

2009-04-27T13:17:00.000-07:00

Look at all the things people do around here!

emergency broadcast - retiring artist!

2009-04-27T07:50:00.000-07:00

There are some things you think will always be around.

Arthur Bauman's mobiles have been a signature of our Commercial Street gallery for years. When visitors talk about this location, they often refer to it as "the gallery with the mobiles." That's about to change. If you've been putting off picking out the one you'd like, the time is now!

Arthur recently told us he's retiring after many years of making mobiles - a career which follows an already full career in the Foreign Service.

We have mobiles in the Orleans gallery and in the Commercial Street, Wellfleet, gallery. There are also some smaller, table pieces available in Wellfleet. You can see them on the web, although it is by no means a complete representation of the hanging pieces. They are the dickens to photograph, so we haven't posted all of them.

If there's one you're interested in, please give us a call soon. When they're gone, they're gone!

We wish Arthur and his wife a very happy (and well-deserved) retirement.

hot off the press

2009-04-27T07:47:00.000-07:00

Have you been getting our newsletters? They're riveting. Subscribe here so you don't miss the next one!

Niche interview

2009-04-11T10:47:00.000-07:00

Thanks to our award, NICHE magazine interviewed Audrey recently. Here's what she had to say (the interview is here):

What is your best-selling medium and price range?
Our best-selling medium is ceramics, and our best-selling price range is $30 to $150. We have a very diverse collection of ceramics, from decorative to what we call the “potter’s pottery.” We offer functional pieces that enhance your everyday life and make you feel connected to the artisan.

What is your most surprising best seller?
Ed and Kate Coleman’s pottery. Their tiles show their creative spirit, and our clients love putting sets of three or six together.

Do you see more tourist or local traffic? What do you do to appeal to these groups?
We are basically in a seasonal area. Our summer traffic is our busiest season, with a shoulder season on both ends. We are fortunate to also represent a collection of fine art paintings of all styles. This gives us an opportunity to have a wider audience of buyers.

Have you had to change your marketing campaign in light of the current economy?
We have not changed our focus in what we purchase. We find our clients know us for our outstanding collection of ceramics, and they seek us out when purchasing gifts that they know are handcrafted.

Have you altered your budget in light of the current economy?
We have altered our budget somewhat, as far as the size of our orders. We have not changed our price points. We would never change the quality of the work carry.

What is your local economy like now? How are you altering your business model to reflect this?
Our clients are being very cautious, but they are still buying. We are giving incentives like holiday sales and free shipping. We try to encourage a dialogue with our clients to help them understand the crafts we sell. We love telling them stories about our artists and their accomplishments.

Gail Bessette - new paintings!

2009-04-06T09:31:00.000-07:00

We have several new, small Gail Bessette paintings in Orleans (and on our website)! The prices are not listed online because they are Very Well Priced and we are not permitted to advertise the prices.*

Please call the Orleans gallery if you'd like more information on any of these paintings: 508.247.9172.

*under two thousand dollars!

where we are

2009-03-30T10:28:00.000-07:00

In the words of Monty Python, we're not dead yet!

Late last year, we decided it was time to close the Orleans gallery. We put the building on the market and started saying our goodbyes.

Since it's easier to sell than pack, we kept the gallery open whenever anyone needed to be in the building. We had a great January. And then we had a great February. While the building hasn't sold, a lot of paintings, jewelry and crafts have!

For those of you who have not had the chance to stop us in the grocery store and ask what on earth is going on with the gallery: we're still here.

So please, stop by! Stock up on gifts! Buy a painting! Or buy the building, if you'd like. It's a beauty.

Michael Magyar - a studio visit

2009-03-23T10:34:00.000-07:00

Every once in awhile we get out and about and do some visiting. Last week we dropped by to see Michael Magyar in his studio, Glass Studio on Cape Cod.

Unfortunately, we were not there on a glass blowing day. That meant they were able to chat with us a bit, but it also means we'll have to go back later for some awesome demonstration photos. Darn.

We love seeing where people work! To be in a space where they make the art we unpack and display at the gallery is kind of magical. Especially if you're a kid.

There's a box labeled "for kids only!" It's full of glass bobbles. Kids get to pick out a bobble to take home. It's important work, picking out the perfect one.

Everywhere you look there are ornaments and glasses, vases and lamps. Because we spend so much of our time with artists, we take some of this for granted. Despite the rose-colored glasses (no pun intended) through which we view the world, everything people use and buy is NOT made this way anymore. With mysterious looking tools and very hot fires, with techniques handed down through generations. It makes you look differently at your water glass.

Kathleen Masterson

2009-03-16T08:22:00.000-07:00

Is it even possible to walk on the beach and not pick up a stone or two? There's something about them that makes you want to take the home with you. Especially if you're Kathleen Masterson.

Kathleen Masterson (aka KEM Design) makes jewelry out of the beach stones she picks up - earrings, bracelets, necklaces and some clever badge holders that can also be used as eyeglass keepers. You can see them on our website, or drop by the gallery so you can check them out in person!

And while you're browsing the web, be sure to read Stephanie Foster's terrific article about Kathleen Masterson in the Cape Codder!

Left Bank in the New York Times

2009-03-10T15:07:00.000-07:00

Oh dear, the secret's out.

A couple days ago there was an article in the New York Times about how peaceful Cape Cod is in the off season (Sounds of Silence on Cape Cod, by Laura M. Holson).

While the author stayed in Chatham, she did make her way down the Cape to Wellfleet for lunch at the Wicked Oyster. And what's a trip to Wellfleet without a visit to Left Bank Gallery? A travesty, that's what. A travesty she deftly avoided.

Ms. Holson describes finding her way to our Small Works gallery, where she bought a Christina Goodman brooch. My, what lovely taste she has!

The article made me want to go take a walk on the beach and explore some of the places she describes - especially the hot stone massage at CBI.

Our crocuses have come up, which means we won't have long to listen to those sounds of silence. In Ms. Holson's words:

"And along the shore, there is always the promise of spring, when small waves frozen in sand will retreat with the thaw and slip back to sea, waiting to embrace the crowds when they arrive once again."

Christina Goodman

2009-02-24T06:53:00.000-08:00

Freshly posted: a whole new collection of Christina Goodman jewelry!

sculptors sculpting

2009-02-20T12:57:00.000-08:00

If you've ever wondered about the casting process of sculpture, wonder no more. Bill Starke, whose works are at our gallery in Orleans, shared this website about an installation he did for Regis Jesuit High School.

Look here to see a slideshow of the casting, finishing, and installation of The Climbers. Each climber is about 32” long and weighs 20 pounds. Nine of them are on this 30' wall.

According to Bill, the installation is a "visual metaphor of the concept of climbing to the next level in life, the struggle to achieve and the journey to accomplish a goal. It also references the concept that the things we accomplish in life happen with the help of others."

The Evangelist

2009-02-16T09:23:00.000-08:00

A film crew is coming to the gallery! Nate Chapman is filming The Evangelist in Wellfleet, and will be using Left Bank in some of the scenes.

Here's a preview.

They are looking for people to fill supporting roles and bit parts. Casting calls are:

Wellfleet Public Library - 2/22: 10:00-6:00
Provincetown Art House - 2/14,2/15: 12:00-4:00

"The Evangelist": Gay middle-aged theater director has recently adopted a twelve-year old named Gideon Bellamont. Gideon soon reveals that he is a religious fanatic and wants to spend all of his time evangelizing to the local community. He drags Danny on his mission and it quickly starts to put a strain on the newly formed father-son relationship.