Views of Sequim, the Olympic Peninsula. . .and beyond
Some of the prettiest glass I saw at the Museum of Glass was for sale in the museum gift shop. Had my pockets been deeper the only hard part would have been choosing which of many gorgeous pieces would have come home with me.
This one was pretty spectacular.
This one was beautiful, too.
Though he has work exhibited worldwide, the exuberant glass of Dale Chihuly is synonymous with the Pacific Northwest. A Tacoma native, the Museum of Glass in Tacoma currently exhibits a large collection of his two dimensional work on paper.
The works are as wild and vivid as their execution in glass. Tomorrow I’ll show you some of his glass on display.
I’m bringing you back to the Museum of Glass in Tacoma for a few more days.
The exhibit where this vessel is displayed is called “Patra Passage” and is a mixture of art, community involvement, and meditation. The word “patra” in Sanskrit means “the vessel that never goes empty” and served as inspiration for this exhibit which includes 108 ceramic bowls created by artist Lynda Lowe. Like alms bowls carried by monks in many cultures, the bowls represent the acts of giving and receiving; for monks it is the meditation that whatever is received in the bowl is enough for the day.
Each of the 108 Petra bowls began a one year journey at the Museum of Glass in late September 2013 as they were given to individuals who kept them for up to four months and then in turn gave them to someone else.
The bowls moved through the hands of 496 people, given as gifts and then regifted until it was time for them to return to the museum. They now are available for purchase and the proceeds will be given to local and international charities. The exhibit closes May 10.
One of the current exhibits at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma is “Kids Design Glass Too.” School children submit drawings of concepts they’d like to see in glass and artists in the Museum hot shop execute the ideas. Many of the ones on display are a hoot.
This is “Corn Dog,” a concept submitted by an 11 year-old girl.
The creator explains, “This corn dog makes more sense than a breaded dog. Farmers plant this kind of corn in the fields to bark at crows and scare them away from the fields.” Why didn’t I think of that?
“A Potato’s Destiny” was the brainchild of a 10 year-old girl. “I love Potatos [sic] and a Potato’s destiny is to get eaten.
Who doesn’t like a change of scene occasionally? A few buddies and I went to the Museum of Glass in Tacoma last week. Tacoma is about a two hour drive from Sequim and offered a nice “big city” hit for a day trip. Above is the entrance of the museum. The silver dome towering above the building is the building’s “hot shop,” the largest in the world, where artists blow glass and their work is showcased and described in real time. Click here for a link to a live video camera in the hot shop.
The plaza has a reflecting pond that contains “Fluent Steps” by Martin Blank. Click on the link to see other views and lighting of this glass art.
I’ll share more from the Tacoma trip in the coming days.
One of the larger industrial presences around here is Nippon Paper located in Port Angeles. This was one of those un-springlike days we’ve had recently, highlighted by gale force winds.
Sequim Spice and Tea relocated onto West Washington Street last year, into a spot that assures them better visibility and foot traffic. I wandered in for the first time last fall as I squired visitors around town. They sell bulk herbs and spices: the usual things you’d expect in a typical spice rack plus blends, seasonings, and flavored salts and sugars to add new zest to your cooking.
There are bulk teas in a back corner. Though I haven’t sampled any, some of them smell delightful.
Here’s what to look for if you come to town. This is the former location of Pacific Mist Books which closed when the owner retired to leave town and care for her mother.