WHERE: Cypress Gallery, 119 E. Cypress, Lompoc, CA 93436
WHEN: October 1 to October 27, 2019
The Lompoc Valley Art Association’s Cypress Gallery will be featuring “Playing with Weaving, Playing with Light”, an artist show by Kathy Badrak and Karen Osland. The show be on exhibit from October 1 to October 27, 2019.
In their show, Gourd Artist, Kathy Badrak and Basket Weaver, Karen Osland explore the different outcomes of weaving on wood, weaving on stone, and shadow casting with Gourd lamps.
A Basket Weaver and a former Stained-Glass artist, Kathy brings to her Gourd Art the natural fibers and weaving techniques from her basketry and the vibrant colors and lines from her stained -glass work.
She started her own glass business and spent a number of years designing leaded glass window for new construction. Many of these windows are installed throughout central and southern California. Several of her pieces were published in books on stained glass art.
In 2009, she attended a series of workshops on weaving baskets and working with gourds. She discovered that gourds were the perfect medium in which she could express herself.
“I love the earthy and natural appeal of gourds and often leave much of the beautiful gourd surface showing in my work. Gourd Art also allows me to continue working with the wonderful fibers and weaving materials I use in my baskets. They allow me to add interesting textures to my work. My style continues to evolve as I learn and experiment with new techniques and materials. “
Kathy’s latest experiment with a new technique is the carving of gourd lamps. Durable, but lightweight, gourds can be carved into an infinite number of patterns and shapes. Kathy says that “Placing a light inside a carved gourd creates patterns of radiant light and the light in turn casts intriguing patterns of light and shadows on the walls. This is exciting, and the possibilities are endless.”
Karen Osland is experienced naturalist whose main interest is ethnobotany. She enjoys leading interpretive hikes that explain the relationship of the hike participants to their surroundings. She has been teaching classes on basketry and on the ethnobotany of native California plants for 30 years. Karen uses the plants and the creation of a basket to foster connections to our environment. She conducts training classes for various Docent organizations on the Ethnobotany of local plants. She does outreach programs for 3rd to 5th graders on cultural uses of California native plants.
There will be a will be an artist’s reception on Friday, October 4 from 5:00 to 7:00p.m. Refreshments will be served. Please come by and check out the show. The Cypress Gallery is at 119 East Cypress Avenue, Lompoc, across from the Museum.