“Citrus Season” closes while “A Wing and a Prayer” debuts
By ELIZABETH BUNT — arts@theaggie.org
For those who are unfamiliar with it, The Artery — located in Downtown Davis on G Street — is a member-owned artist cooperative. It boasts an extensive multimedial gallery featuring curated ceramics, woodwork, glass, prints, paintings, photography and fiber arts. Because members operate the storefront on a daily basis, shoppers have the opportunity to speak with the creators of pieces that strike their interest. There is no doubt why The Artery has been voted the Best Place to Buy a Gift on multiple occasions in the Davis Enterprise’s “Best of Yolo County” survey.
However, The Artery is more than just a shopping destination, it is a group of people determined to share art with the Davis community and provide a platform for local artists to showcase their work. These showcases are held in The Artery’s adjoining gallery, just off the main gallery room. The exhibitions in this gallery change every month and rotate between group and individual shows.
The most recent exhibit was a group show entitled “Citrus Season: A Splash of Color.” “Citrus Season” featured the work of a diverse group of artists and a varied collection of media. It was tied together through theme rather than form, with each piece included in the show having to interpret citrus fruits in some way, either through texture, bold colors or actual depictions. The exhibit was meant to celebrate Northern California’s citrus season as well as showcase bright, cheerful works of art as a break from the mid-winter dreariness.
Since “Citrus Season” was a multimedial group exhibition, The Artery is switching gears with its new showcase: “A Wing and a Prayer.” “A Wing and a Prayer” is a selection of ceramics from local artist and member of The Artery, Janine Echabarne.
Echabarne is an accomplished jeweler and longtime ceramicist. Her work takes inspiration primarily from nature and from tradition.
“I like to think of myself as a continuation of the art and craft of many ancestors,” Echabarne’s artist biography on The Artery’s website reads.
This idea is present in her latest exhibit, which is a collection of bas-relief ceramic tiles. These tiles contain figures just barely lifted from the clay surface. They are shown dancing, embracing and interacting with animals. The pieces themselves look older than they are and evoke the ancestral art which Echabarne takes her inspiration from. More than one appear to share a resemblance to scenes from various mythologies.
Echabarne chose the name “A Wing and a Prayer” for this exhibit as a form of political commentary, expressing her belief that humanity is flying through dangerous times on one wing and prayers. Her exhibit is a response to that feeling, depicting human behaviors that have been features of art throughout human history.
“A Wing and a Prayer” will be on exhibit until March 24. A reception with the artist will be held on March 14 from 6 to 9 p.m. For more information on this exhibit and more to come, visit The Artery’s Instagram account, @arterydavis, or the events page on their website.
Written by: Elizabeth Bunt — arts@theaggie.org
