New at SJIMA | Waterline – split, twisted, bound

At San Juan Islands Museum of Art through September 16

— from Diane Martindale for San Juan Islands Museum of Art —

The awe-inspiring installation in the atrium is the largest and most lyrical shown at the San Juan Islands Museum of Art (SJIMA).

In Waterline, created by Andrew Shewman, Orcas Island resident, the whale and orcas flukes move within the art morphing from human to vessel. Several forms make up the total art piece- Mask, Skywolf, Resiliance, Swimmer and Fluke and Eyes. The enjoyment is discovering each as you walk among and are dwarfed by the sea structures.

Shewman says of his work, ”Non-human forms captivate me—the beauty of their perfect adaptation to their environment, thus their inseparability from the natural world.” In keeping with the strong environmental message of the summer exhibit, he is interested in bamboo as a sustainable material in the family of grasses. Bamboo has a rich cultural and aesthetic history in the arts. In his hands, the traditional methods of splitting, bending and binding form sculptures that reflect his curiosity of human encounter with the natural world.

“I am fascinated with the human encounter with the spiritual world, archetypes throughout all cultures, and how as humans we reason our existence in the world. Of these things my artwork has become its own personal search and diversion between reality and myth.”

In his career, as a co-owner of AZO, Andrew has worked with his wife, Susan Singleton, on over twenty major installations. With natural materials and beauty, the pieces are a good fit with the clean lines of modern architecture and have been commissioned for hospitals, hotels and commercial buildings around the world. They include Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Muckleshoot Tribe, Group Health, Swedish Hospital and Shriner’s Burn Hospital.

Waterline and DEEP DIVE, which focuses on the beauty of the Salish Sea and the threats to our iconic species, runs at SJIMA through September 16. Hours are Thursday-Monday from 11-5. Admission is $10 with members and those 18 and under admitted free. Mondays are Pay As You Can Days. SJIMA is located in Friday Harbor at 540 Spring Street, just a short walk from the ferry landing. For more information call 360-370-5050 or go to www.sjima.org.