"Ben Edols and Kathy Elliott: Evolve"
2007-10-20 until 2007-11-04
William Traver Gallery - Tacoma
Tacoma, WA, USA United States of America

The Traver Gallery is proud to present Evolve, a exhibition featuring new work by Australian artists Ben Edols and Kathy Elliott. The show features a selection of the luminous, elegantly blown and intensely carved glass vessels for which the couple is known.  Evolve also highlights a selection of pieces from the artists' popular Fallen Leaf and Curled Leaf series. These solid worked, botanically inspired sculptures are reminiscent of the graceful curves and proportions of the large palm leaves that fall from the trees near their home in Australia. "It has been a great challenge to make the leaves through hot forming rather than blowing," says Kathy Elliott. "We wanted to make a sculptural form with a beautiful tension and sense of rhythm, while at the same time exploiting the wonderful qualities of the glass, especially its ability to display color and texture through light."

The pair works collaboratively on each piece; Ben does all the hot work, working with other glass blowers to make the forms they need, while Kathy does most of the carving on the pieces. According to Edols, the work develops "through a continuous bouncing back and forth between the two of us. Everything develops in a sort of linear way because we tend to respond to each other. For example, we almost always start out with a drawing, but we don't sketch together. Each piece is the product of a dialogue between us; it really helps us develop new ideas and directions while still being able to achieve a high level of refinement."

Edols and Elliott's work is included in dozens of major collections and museums throughout the world, and has been featured in numerous exhibitions and publications. Ben Edols and Kathy Elliott teach regularly at Pilchuck Glass School, the Studio at the Corning Museum of glass, and other organizations throughout the world. They have won many scholarships, grants, and awards, both together and individually.

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