Art Business News - Maryhill Museum of Art Hosts Outdoor Sculpture Event
3/6/2009 by Colleen Schafroth
GOLDENDALE, WA—Maryhill Museum of Art will present its 14th Annual Outdoor Sculpture Invitational May 16 to Oct. 4, 2009. The exhibition features large-scale works in a variety of media by Northwest artists Lance Carleton, Matt Cartwright, Gregory Glynn, Tom Herrera, Ed Humpherys, Jay Moody, Francisco Salgado, Julie Speidel, Mike Suri, Jeff Tangen and David Wagner
First conceived to complement the museum’s extensive collection of Rodin sculptures, Maryhill’s Outdoor Sculpture Invitational has become one of the premier venues for Northwest artists who create and exhibit large-scale works. Maryhill’s dramatic and rugged setting, coupled with views of the Columbia River Gorge, also provide a unique environment for visitors to experience the diverse works featured in the exhibition.
“We strongly believe in encouraging the continued development of contemporary Northwest sculpture,” says Lee Musgrave, Maryhill’s curator of exhibits. “Each year the exhibit is a wonderful mix of works by established and emerging artists.”
Mike Suri’s dramatic iron sculpture, Brushing, was inspired by a tree, swept fully horizontal by the wind, which was thriving on the edge of a cliff. “I was immediately taken with the dynamism between these two powerful natural occurrences—the tree firmly rooted and full of life and the wind blowing hard and constant. The title comes from a term used in the wind power industry to describe the act of trees growing horizontally.
“When a site is found with this effect it is a sign of constant and high wind force. The bluff at Maryhill will make a perfect setting for the sculpture,” says Suri. In addition to works in the 2009 Outdoor Sculpture Invitational, visitors to Maryhill can also see sculptures from the museum’s collections that are on permanent display: works by Brad Cloepfil, Tom Herrera, Alisa Looney, Mel Katz, Heath Krieger, Jill Torberson, Julian Voss-Andreae, Jeff Weitzel and Leon White.