ETHAN STERN CROSSCUT
ETHAN STERN CROSSCUT a u g u s t 6 t h - 3 0 t h , 2 015 Tr a v e r G a l l e r y
CROSSCUT Having firmly established himself as one of the preeminent young artists working in glass, Ethan Stern finds a new voice in Crosscut, his forthcoming exhibition at Traver Gallery. With this new body of sculpture Stern extends his artistic exploration of abstraction, color, texture and light. Embracing a fresh palette of crystalline colors and tight geometric cuts, he makes extraordinary use of the unique qualities of the glass to alter light. The conveyance of color and light are the central focus of this body of work. Simple flattened vessel forms pair with intensely carved surfaces faceted with geometric patterns to create a prismatic lattice of color and light that changes dynamically with every shift in orientation. Drawing inspiration from American Brilliant Cut Glass—a period known for technical expertise and exquisite blown and carved glass vessels— Stern seeks to celebrate the traditions of this historical glass in his Crosscut series. Using traditional wheel-cutting techniques he carves deeply in to the glass, through intensely colored layers, to create a high relief surface that is designed to reflect and refract light. However, unlike the cut glass vessels of the past, these sculptures are not vessels designed to hold objects but as containers of light. Occasional polished and smooth surfaces reveal a pristine glass interior, a moment of calm, pure color, that strikes a harmonious balance with densely carved areas. Electric and modern, this exciting new body of work marks a significant moment in Stern’s artistic development, a moment that we are thrilled to be able to introduce to you, our collector.
CROSSCUT WEDGE, 10 x 20 x 4", 2015
CROSSCUT FIRE, 9 x 15 x 3”, 2015
CROSSCUT DEEP, 10 x 16 x 4”, 2015
CROSSCUT WEFT, 14 x 13 x 4”, 2015
CROSSCUT CITRON, 10 x 19 x 4”, 2015
CROSSCUT PEACH, 10 x 17 x 4”, 2015
CROSSCUT PINE, 9 x 18 x 3”, 2015
CROSSCUT HYACINTH, 17 x 9 x 4”, 2015
ETHAN STERN Born in Ithaca, New York, Ethan Stern currently lives in Seattle, WA. He earned his Associates degree in Ceramics at TAFE College in Brisbane Australia and his BFA in Sculpture and Glass from Alfred University. Stern’s work is widely exhibited and is held in the collections of The Museum of Glass in Tacoma Washington, The Eboltoft Glass Museum in Denmark, The Museum of American Glass in New Jersey and The Palm Springs Art Museum. Ethan has taught sculpture at the University of Washington, Pilchuck Glass School, Pratt Fine Arts Center, The Penland School of Craft and the Pittsburgh Glass Center. Pushing glass beyond the anatomy of the vessel, Ethan Stern’s work is an ongoing exploration of abstraction, color, texture and light. While glass typically reflects light and has an inherently shiny and dense appearance, He is drawn to a richer, more luminous effect that can be achieved by carving and engraving the surface. These engraved marks, like the stroke of a paintbrush on canvas or a finger pushed into clay; leave evidence of the Artists hand and are undeniably connected to his process and the nature of the material itself. The imagery employed on the surface of Ethan’s works stands as a fictitious but recognizable deconstruction of landscape, topography and coastline, familiar only in its similarity to existing vistas and eroded urban geography.
artwork photography by Russell Johnson in-studio photography by Eric Paguio
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