PRESTON SINGLE TARYHE WHO SPINS ILLUSIONS

TRAVER GALLERY

PRESTON SINGLE TARYHE WHO SPINS ILLUSIONS

OCTOBER 2–NOVEMBER 2, 2014

He Who Spins Illusions, Preston Singletary’s newest exhibition, delves deeply in to the mythic sub-currents of Tlingit emblems and iconography. Interested in the important tradition of storytelling in his native Tlingit culture, Singletary brings a fresh and newly imag-ined narrative to this most recent body of work.

Singletary’s art is his voice, and his sculptures and carving his words. The sculptures presented in this show are invocations of the supernatural; they are shamanistic tales told around a fire; ghost stories and legends shared quietly amongst family members; peers recounting transformative journeys that illuminate deep spirit-ual realms; they are the sometimes quiet, sometimes penetrating echoes of generations of Tlingit storytellers and artists.

Essential to Singletary’s work is the way in which his sculptures connect him to both the present and the past. Aesthetically, he calls our attention to these two distinct yet connected temporal realities by elegantly melding the traditional form-line design and iconog-raphy with contemporary forms, colors, and gestures. It is through these aesthetic assertions that he captures our attention and com-pels us to look closely, to “hear“ his stories and family legends.

Singletary has found a new and even more resonant voice with this body of work. The artworks in this exhibition are imbued with power. These sculptures, much like the historic treasures of the Tlingit people, carry with them the ability to illuminate truths and invoke great spirits; they carry both the history of a community and the future possibilities of its children. With this exhibition, Preston asserts himself as a keeper and teller of stories, and as a contempo-rary master of his craft.

We are extremely proud to introduce this new body of work. Congratulations, Preston, on this important exhibition.

INTO

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8.5

× 7 ×

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× 10

× 3

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(in collaboration with Ross Richmond)

25

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REST 22.25 × 8 × 4 inches

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5 ×

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SKY PEO

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× 7.

5 ×

12 in

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16.7

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38

The art of Preston Singletary has become synonymous with the rela-tionship between European glass blowing traditions and Northwest Native art. His artworks feature themes of transformation, animal spirits and shamanism through elegant blown glass forms and mystical sand carved Tlingit designs.

Singletary learned the art of glass blowing by working with artists in the Seattle area including Benjamin Moore and Dante Marioni. As a student and assistant, he initially focused on mastering the techniques of the European tradition. His work took him to Kosta Boda (Sweden) where he studied Scandinavian design and met his future wife. Throughout his 30+ years of glass blowing experience, he has also had opportunities to learn the secrets of the Venetian glass masters by working with Italian legends Lino Tagliapietra, Cecco Ongaro, and Pino Signoretto. In 2010, he was awarded an hon-orary Doctor of Arts degree from the University of Puget Sound.

Now recognized internationally, Singletary’s artworks are includ-ed in museum collections such as The British Museum (London, uk), The Museum of Fine Arts (Boston, ma), The Seattle Art Museum (Seattle, wa), the Corning Museum of Glass (Corning, ny), the Mint Museum of Art and Design (Charlotte, nc), the Heard Museum (Phoenix, az), and the Smithsonian Institution (Washington, dc). Singletary maintains an active schedule by teaching and lectur-ing internationally. In 2009, the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, wa, launched a major mid-career survey of his work, entitled Preston Singletary: Echoes, Fire, and Shadows. This exhibition featured Clan House, his largest commission to date, and traveled to venues across North America.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY RUSSELL JOHNSON