Opening of Audrey Wilson Solo Exhibit

Audrey Wilson exhibit in the WGS Gallery.

Audrey Wilson’s solo show “The Aberrant Collection of the Spurious Calamus” opened this week to great success!

The glass/mixed media sculptures presented are a collection of ingenuity, with a focus on the delicacy of the calamus - the hollow shaft of a feather; the quill. The feather often symbolizes bravery and wisdom. The motif of the feather is used by the artist in this show as a symbol of ingenuity and invention, and she combines the motif with technological components as a way to capture our complicated relationship with technology and mirror it back with poetic glances.

Audrey Wilson "Wan Hu's Chair" pâte de verre glass, mixed media; photo by Pete Duvall. This work shows Ms. Wilson's wit, as it references 16th-Century official who attempted to become the first "astronaut" by being lifted by rockets into outer space. Wan supposedly had a chair built with 47 rockets attached. He climbed into his rocket chair and had servants light the fuses. There was a huge explosion. When the smoke cleared Wan and the chair were gone - never to be seen again.

Collectors Maggie and Syl Mathis with the artist Audrey Wilson on opening night.

It was also the inaugural opening of the Washington Glass School Gallery, and the opening night crowd gives the promise of more successful shows!

Audrey Wilson's solo show opens the WGS Gallery.

Part of the entertainment was Tim Tate trying to open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew - using a shoe. Erwin Timmers - anticipating a wine fountain helps out - ready to capture the wine.