In Love

I’m glad that I have six more weeks to return to this art exhibit, because I dearly loved it!

Faith in a Seed: Philip McCracken’s Sculpture and Mixed-Media Painting “surveys nature’s inspiration” in a selection of works created by the Bellingham-born (1928) artist from 1952 to 2013. It opened on February 27, and June 5 is the exhibit’s last day at the Whatcom Museum.

Both Phil and I were enchanted by Philip McCracken’s work, which was diverse and appealing, ranging from tiny sculptures in bronze (see the extra photo of Mole Greeting the Sun, my favorite) to large ones in wood, including today’s blip, as well as paintings, and small-scale sculptures in wood and bronze.

McCracken, who lives with his wife on rural Guemes Island in Skagit County (just south of us),  graduated from the University of Washington School of Art in 1954 and then studied with English sculptor Henry Moore. His work has been exhibited at the Smithsonian Institution and the Art Institute of Chicago, as well as at regional museums in the Pacific Northwest.

He notes that Mole Greeting the Sun is very suggestive of "coming out of darkness into light and being blinded with the radiance of an idea” in this interesting eight-minute American Masterworks video interview.

Today's blip, Heron (1952), is carved from cedar, and reflects the McCrackens’ empathy for the wild creatures who share Guemes Island with them. Behind the heron sculpture is Heron Poem, made of cedar and mussel shells, inspired by a bird living on the artist’s property.

Among Philip McCracken’s sources of inspiration is the 19th century philosopher Henry David Thoreau, “whose posthumous book, Faith in a Seed (1993), suggested the title for this show. Like Thoreau, McCracken celebrates the wonders and beauty of nature.” [Whatcom Museum of Art signage]

(Looking ahead to June, if you live nearby, come see Just Women (June 18-September 4), drawn “from the Whatcom Museum’s extensive collection of work by female artists,” exploring “a wide range of subjects… in a variety of media” (more here). Also opening June 5 (closes September 18) is Colorfast: Vivid Installations Make Their Mark — read more about it here.)

Blip 1531