GROW/DRAW
An Exhibition of New Paintings by Isabelle Grizzard Robertson
June 15 - July 18, 2009
Piano Nobile location and information
STONE CROP, ARTICHOKE SPINE, GRAVEL PATH, DRAWN LINE:
ABSTRACTION AND THE OVERGROWN GARDEN
How wild can a garden be before it’s not a garden anymore; but a tangled, disappearing abstraction of a gardener’s composition? New paintings by Seattle-based artist Isabelle Grizzard Robertson transcend traditions of landscape and botanical painting to explore this border territory.
Intricate leaves and stems disappear in the frenzy of drawing, sometimes reappearing as marks in the foreground, sometimes assembling into the structure of a flower, a garden hose, or a field of gravel. Verdant and bursting with color, the paintings transform the interior walls of the gallery into a vertical garden.
Grow/Draw features more than a dozen new works on paper, wood panel, and canvas, ranging in size from 6 inches to 6 feet wide. The exhibition runs June 15 – July 18, 2009 at Piano Nobile.
VIEW A SELECTION OF THE IMAGES IN OUR ONLINE GALLERY!
VIEW PHOTOS FROM OUR SUMMER OPEN STUDIO ON OUR SHOP BLOG!
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Scroll over image and click to view images of our Semaphore Furniture + Lighting Collection
Semaphore is an alphabet native to the sea, composed of striking angles and decisive movements. Each piece is constructed in the Piano Nobile workshop from locally sourced, environmentally responsible, and, above all, beautiful materials.
Abstracted from the vocabulary of ship design, pipes, plates, and exposed welds recall the ferry fleet of the Puget Sound. A low Coffee Table and trim End Table balance on folded planes of recycled steel. Their wood tops (in oiled Oregon walnut or milk-painted poplar) display a turbulent grain, polished smooth.
The twisting Stick Lamp inspires divergent images of taut rope and whirling jellyfish tentacles, executed in the most simple steel rod composition. The Belle Lamp tilts its elegant head toward the floor; its base creates a counterpoint of jostling steel plates. Both lamps and tables are available in oiled or powder-coated steel.
A broken net drapes across linen Semaphore Textiles, faded white. Available as made to order shades from Seattle-based Lit Shades, or by the yard as a special order.
The Semaphore Collection, with its’ maritime economy of materials and sharp, decisive silhouettes, presents a modern group of furniture that is more than minimalist, yet remains free of embellishment. The designers welcome custom iterations and encourage inquiries.
SHOP THE SEMAPHORE COLLECTION!
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The Positivity Project, our brand new collection of handmade jewelry, individually hand-printed bags and organic t-shirts, is the first collaboration between dao jewelry and the Piano Nobile printshop. We used the lowly plus sign, that universal math symbol, to carry a positive message in response to the turbulent times we live in.
Inspired by the lyrics of some of our favorite songs (accentuate the positive! walking on sunshine! keep on the sunny side! yes we can!), we devised a simple definition of positivity to accompany each of our handmade pieces. It is a three-part statement of community spirit: the quality of being encouraging; an amount greater than zero; the state of being positive.
The Positivity Project will donate 5% of the retail price of each piece to Nest, a non-profit organization that supports women artists and artisans in developing countries, helping them build their own entrepreneurial businesses.
Read more about The Positivity Project on our Shop News blog!
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UPCOMING EVENTS/ spring - summer 2009
JULY 12/ GEORGETOWN GARDEN WALK
Summer means just one thing to a printmaker: Steamroller printing!! With ink and hard hat at the ready, we'll join printers from several other Seattle shops for some large scale printing during the Georgetown Garden Walk.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
10 am
The Garden Walk begins at the Bank of America in Georgetown
1112 S. Bailey Street
Our gallery plays host to some of our favorite LOCAL industrial designers, sculptors, and artisans. Special shopping opportunities for limited edition jewelry, textiles, accessories, furniture, and home goods.
Friday and Saturday, July 17 and 18
11 - 6 pm
AUGUST 1/INDEX ART FESTIVAL
Piano Nobile heads for the hills! We'll bring our farmer's market booth to Index, rumored to be the smallest town in the Cascades, for their 5th annual Arts Index Festival! Music, crafts demonstrations, exhibitions, and a marketplace -- plus unbelieveably gorgeous scenery.
Saturday, August 1
10 am - 6 pm
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PAST SHOWS IN OUR GALLERY/2008-2009
Visit our online gallery to view photographs from past exhibitions and find artwork by our featured artists.
Olive Grove, Mallorca Photographs by Murray West
Cambodia 1 Paintings and Photographs by Bennett Grizzard
Left to Right, To and From Drawings by Nate Will Lambdin
Rough in the Round Hand-turned Wood Bowls by Laura Yeats