Visual Art: Gallery show's inside the box

SAN MATEO (Map, News) - What’s in the box?”— a familiar question — is the topic of an exhibit running through June 29 at the Main Gallery in Redwood City.

“Barely Contained: The Box Show” was inspired primarily by Menlo Park ceramic artist Pixie Couch, who has been making small clay boxes for some 30 years. She says, “I’m interested in being able to access the interior space from the outside, so I create tiny windows in the boxes. Each has its own story.”

Peninsula artist Karen Truesdell’s brightly patterned “ticky tacky” houses are based on the Malvina Reynolds’ song “Little Boxes” about the development of suburbia.

Susan Wolf’s little sculptures hold paper clips, stamps and tiny candies, while Jeff Carlick of Redwood City creates memory boxes with small openings that contain keepsakes as well.

Photographer Cheryl Shepard uses abstracts of still life images from crates on her boxes. Nina Koepcke’s boxes incorporate block prints. Painter Katinka Hartmetz begins her boxes with wooden molds, then adds found objects, including “shrinky-dinks.”

The Main Gallery is located at 1018 Main St. Hours are Wednesday to Friday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For information call (650) 701-1018 or visit www.themaingallery.org.  

SCULPTURE DISPLAY

Drawings and models for two massive Bruce Beasley sculptures that will be on display at the Beijing Olympics on are view in the Peninsula Museum of Art in Belmont June 15 through August.

Beasley’s “Gathering of the Moons” is a 16-by-16-foot creation; “Destiny” is 73 feet.

Beasley is best known for developing innovative technology for casting large transparent acrylic forms. Recently, he has adapted aeronautical engineering computer software that helps him create intricate geometric patterns for his cast bronze works.

He says, “The language of sculpture is mute and silent. It has a unique syntax and grammar that explores the limits of the physical world and the limits of our imagination. It is the only language that can speak of our emotional relationship to the physical world.”

The museum is at 10 Twin Pines Lane. Hours are from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday to Friday and from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Call (650) 594-1577.

RIGHT SIDE ART

Professional educator-turned-artist Linda Salter explores the intuitive right side of her brain with “The Other Hemisphere” show at Avenue 25 Gallery in San Mateo.

Although she sketched when she was young, it wasn’t until she took evening art classes in drawing and oil that she got serious about her art; at the time she was president of Skyline College in San Bruno.

“The Other Hemisphere” features figure drawings, landscapes, still life and portraits. The show continues until June 26; the gallery is located at 32 W. 25th Ave. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For information call (650) 349-5538 or visit www.avenue25gallery.plsinfo.org.

jgross@sfexaminer.com

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