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We are enormously grateful to family and friends who have been kind and generous in their support. A project of this scope could not succeed without individuals willing to contribute time, skills, insight and energy at critical points in its development. Among them are these wonderful people. 2003 Lead Jurors Gino
de Valerio/architect Individuals Adela
Akers Businesses Atelier
One Advisors Adela
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Photos
by Stephen D. Gross and |
With the famously picturesque San Francisco Bay and its yacht-filled Marina as backdrop, 150 works of contemporary fine art and fine craft urns and other sculptural works of personal memorial art assembled from throughout the U.S. and 7 foreign countries presented a stunning visual effect and drew an enthusiastic response from visitors to the 2nd international Ashes to Art exhibition. A
Beautiful Opening on a Starry Night More than 300 guests at the Thursday night reception enjoyed sparkling waters and premium wines being poured courtesy of Blackstone Winery - bottled in the small Sonoma County, California town Funeria calls home. Our thanks go to Natasha Granoff, General Manager of Pacific Wine Partners, for her hospitality and generosity in contributing the wine tasting and pouring throughout the evening. Prior to Natasha's welcome at the beverage table, and before anyone discovered the French chocolate truffles and Italian cantuccini nearby, visitors were first greeted by the welcoming smile of Melanie Sanborn. On entering the Changing Stages information and resources center - guests were met again by Christine, Carole, Michael, Bonnie, Lisa Ruth and their colleagues who were staffing. individual tabletop displays offering wildflower seed embedded paper hearts (for planting), rosemary sprigs (for remembrance), and plenty of literature and encouragement to learn more about our options as we consider our own mortality and the means to a better end. Thanks to Brenda Davis of Sojourn Communications, and the Last Acts campaign for representing their mission so well and for making the participation of Compassion in Dying of Northern California and the Zen Hospice Project possible. Funeria is also a partner in the Last Acts (R) coalition. Thanks too to Christine Stinson of Good Grief and Colma Cremation and Funeral Services for introducing her clients and colleagues to the concepts that Funeria as a fine art gallery is advancing through the Ashes to Art exhibitions. We were also delighted that One Year to Live workshops were attracting the interest of visitors - intrigued by the concept they're executing based on the book by Stephen Levine, focusing on how to live this year as if it were your last. Tannery Creek Press, of which Funeria is an outgrowth, was represented too, with two of its books available for sale - those that make it easy to honor life experiences in writing - as well as display copies of other books visitors enjoyed knowing about on end-of-life subjects, especially those dealing with emerging rituals and cultural diversity. Two additional eye-catching items were available for sale at the Tannery Creek Press display. One was the beautifully designed and photographed catalogue of William Morris's Cinerary Urns installation - first introduced at the Chrysler Museum of Art in 2002. The other was the Acorn Urn - a fiber based biodegradable full size container for ashes that is a delightful, thoughtful and inexpensive alternative when the objective is to return ashes to earth with concern for the environment. Artists Cast the Brightest Light of All Certainly the greatest thrill for visitors and Funeria alike was in meeting many of the artists themselves. Emma Wilson hand-carried her 'Ash Dwelling II' to the show and found it standing near Linda Walton's stoneware and porcelain 'Safe Haven'. The two artists discovered much in common as both are from England, though Linda now calls Canada home. Jason Esquijarosa brought his tagger/skateboard wheeled 'Need for Speed' from Miami - a fine pedestal companion to Jimmy Descant's mixed media 'âme Morceau'. Descant's miniature piece reminded us of the craftsmanship and style we enjoyed in his showstopping 'VR-18: The Loved One' rocketship featured in the 2001 show. Michiko Shimoda's ceramic 'Water Ring' enjoyed appreciative attention, and was acquired a day later by one of her patrons who is also the owner of a Los Gatos oriental art gallery. Everyone had a favorite... or two Marc Bommersbach, who with Judith Olney and Bill Trowbridge along with many other hardworking and generous helpers was key to the installation and success of the show, HAD to have Tony Knapp's Whimsical Urn #1. He'd moved it, unpacked it, played with its rotating arm and bought it shortly after the reception opened. NBC-TV11 affiliate reporter Bob Redell was attracted to an entire range of pieces - all of which he and his camera operator fit into a pun-filled segment on Bay Area Today, broadcasting live from the exhibition on January 30 during set-up. In addition to a running commentary about the work from Maureen Lomasney who provided the mini-tour, Redell was also able to show television viewers the imposing and spectacular 225 lb. cast bronze 'Communion at River Mara' that was delivered just before the broadcast by artist Victoria Nahas and her husband following their arrival from the Midwest. Two days later, Silke Tudor, who is one of the Bay Area's best essayists and most popular SFWeekly reporters, spent considerable time with the artwork - drawn to a number of pieces about which she wrote glowingly in her February 5 Night Crawler column. Two Big Shows Later (and a Special Edition in between), We Still Want More Given the enthusiastic response for the second international Ashes to Art from all participants - artists, sponsors, the media and general public - we're hopeful that the concepts Funeria is advancing continue to expand to burn brightly among more art collectors, cremationists, and in public consciousness. We were delighted to learn this winter that the current prospectus inviting proposals for the Glass Art Society's 34th annual conference has included the subject of funerary art for the first time. Perhaps this trend we captured in 2001, further amplified by the introduction of William Morris's stunning Cinerary Urns series in 2002, will become a movement in the coming months and years after all. We know that visitors to Ashes to Art are often caught off-guard by the extraordinary range of work - in style and materials - that they're seeing during our brief events. Ashes to Art exhibitions have set new standards in curating and presenting personal memorial art since their debut on November 29, 2001. There's a clear interest in more of the same. We're always gratified to see and hear the enthusiasm and wonderment of visitors and were charmed by a particular visitor this year. A vibrant elder, who attended the show with two friends, expressed a not-uncommon response when she admitted 'When Janet (gesturing to her friend) said we really had to go to this show about funeral urns, I thought it was the last thing I wanted to see...but this is wonderful! I'm having such a good time looking at all this artwork! I had no idea it would be anything like this... with so many whimsical pieces too. I'm so glad I came!' Keeping it Going You can help keep the key concepts going that Funeria is advancing by looking to us as your fine art and fine craft resource for original, limited edition and handcrafted personal memorial art and artists who are creating such unique work, and also by sharing your knowledge of us with others who may want what we offer too. Keep in touch with Funeria. Sign up for e-mail news updates and advisories (they're not 'spam' and are so rare they're practically collector's items themselves). We believe that the attention we pay to art and beauty in our everyday lives is a valuable measure of our time on earth, our hopes, dreams, cultures, beliefs and identities. Art and beauty sanctify life. Through the gifts that fine artists are able to express, we are all enriched, made to think, and honored. Our own efforts include providing working artists with an entirely new and meaningful outlet for their work. Thank you for visiting Funeria. If you are among those who have attended and participated in our Ashes to Art events, or have become one of our valued clients, we are especially grateful to you. Everyone else... don't be shy! Come back soon. Here's to your beautiful life! |
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