Escapes: Finding the Silver Lining
December 11, 2020 - January 21, 2021
Celia Becker, Ashlee Hale, Joe Holzhausen, Breanna Larsen, Al Stege
Exhibition Statement:
Recently, many dark clouds have rolled over our collective horizons. Most notably, a global pandemic has confined us to smaller social circles, significantly decreased the areas we can roam, and left many of us longing for an escape. Traditional and reliable forms of escape, like a night out with friends or a movie in the theater have vanished along with travel in our “new normal.”
One thing, however, will always provide a breath of fresh air when we need it. As Rachel Carson put it, “There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature- the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” As we lock down for a winter of isolation, the spring on the other side is our silver lining, reminding us that when the sun rises again we will have fresh eyes to cast upon a renewed landscape. It will be the same as it always was, even when everything else seems to be changing. And that’s the magic of nature: no matter how many sunrises and springs have come to pass, it manages to be perpetually brand new, and still completely unchanged.
Artist Bios:
Celia Becker was born and raised in Amery, Wisconsin. She started glassblowing her junior year of high school and has pursued it ever since. Although she primarily works in glass, she also enjoys other 3D mediums, such as ceramics and wire. She is passionate about opening up new perspectives to others through narrative and conceptual artwork.
Breanna Larson grew up in River Falls, WI, where she later attended the University of Wisconsin - River Falls from 2017 until present. She is studying for a bachelor’s degree in art education and a BFA in glass blowing. Breanna is a multimedia artist whose main foci are glass and photography. Her work tends to focus on nature and symbolism from experiences in her life.
Joe Holzhausen is a multimedia artist from Eau Claire, WI specializing in glass, concrete, and metal. He is currently attending UW-River Falls to obtain a Bachelor of the Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in Glass. His recent work comes from seeking comfort in the landscapes of the human form and is an attempt to combine disparate materials in a way that feels natural.
Allison Stege is a glass artist who enjoys exploring the sculptural possibilities of glass. Growing up in a small town in northern Minnesota, she takes inspiration from elements of nature. She has brought influences from her hometown to her current residence in River Falls Wisconsin where her sculptures are expanding on functional vessels.
Ashlee Hale, a BFA Glass and Printmaking graduating student at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, is based in Corcoran, Minnesota. Ashlee uses a variety of materials to explore the human condition and connections made and lost. It’s through the use of recurring symbols and their relationship to self and art, that Ashlee creates a sense of nostalgia in her work.