Stephen Rolfe Powell's work is defined by its chromatic intensity and large scale.
This evening from 5 to 7 p.m., the Ken Saunders Gallery in Chicago will host an opening reception to kick off an exhibition of new work by Stephen Rolfe Powell, the Kentucky-based glassblower who has developed a signature body of work identified by its impressive size and heft, richly murrini-encrusted surfaces, and long elegant necks that dip, curve, or head to ground, their elegant arcs like exclamation marks at the end of elaborate sentences. Powell has grouped his work into the whimsically named “Teasers,” “Whackos,” and “Screamers” series, and they share in his muscular interpretation of the power of Italian glassblowing. An artist’s brunch is planned for tomorrow, Saturday, from 11 to 2 p.m. that will include a presentation by Powell.
As GLASS Quarterly contributing editor James Yood put it in his article on Powell (GLASS #70, Spring 1997): “... through a sequence of rolling and melting various predetermined patters of thousands of colored murrini, then applying them to the partially blown vessel, Powell will overlap and stretch the murrini, having them, like watercolor, intermingle with one another to create a taffy-pull of color that is sumptuous and swirling.”
A dedicated educator as well as artist, Powell has been the H.W. Stodghill, Jr. and Adele H Stodghillprofessor of art glass at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky since 2004. This is the college where he received his BFA in 1974.
For more on Powell’s work and process, you can watch a video here:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jq8pjfC4cL0]
IF YOU GO:
“Stephen Rolfe Powell”June 24th — July 31st, 2011Opening reception: June 24th, 5 – 7 p.m.Artist’s brunch and talk: June 25th, 11 – 2 p.m.Ken Saunders Gallery230 West Superior Street Chicago, IL 60654 Tel: 312.573.1400 Email: gallery@kensaundersgallery.com