Markow & Norris Continue National Exhibition Tour

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
“WOVEN GLASS” BY MARKOW & NORRIS CONTINUES NATIONAL EXHIBITION TOUR

Artists Debut Life-Size “Winter Twilight Kimono” & Other New Work Solo Show “Woven Glass” at Haven Gallery Nov. 13 – Dec. 11

Austin, TX. August 2010 – Acclaimed Woven Glass sculptors Eric Markow and Thom Norris are debuting new work and iconic favorites in Austin, Texas as they continue their national tour of “Woven Glass.” Markow & Norris, famous for originating their proprietary technique of weaving glass, a trade secret still closely guarded and shrouded in mystery, are being hosted by Mindi Partee at an Opening Reception on November 13, 2010 and an Artists’ Talk on December 11, 2010 at Haven Gallery.

“Woven Glass” will debut Winter Twilight Kimono, the second of four hand woven glass Kimonos, representing each season at different times of the day. Breaking boundaries and appearing to go against the laws of physics, Winter Twilight Kimono is 125 pounds of handwoven glass. Freestanding and life-size, the sculpture is 5 ½ feet tall with an outreached arm span of over 4 feet; making it the largest woven glass sculpture in the world!

While creating the Kimono series, Markow & Norris continue to improvise their already astounding woven glass technique. Departing from sculpting with evenly-measured strips of woven glass, many irregular shaped pieces are interwoven into the landscape of the glass fabric creating a must see piece of art. The new style expands the ability to represent organic scenery and is a nod back to stained-glass, their origins in the art world. The exhibit started in New York City and continued to Washington DC with new collections and headlining pieces debuting at each location. The next stop, Haven Gallery in Austin, was chosen both because of the gallery’s prominence and reputation, and also because Markow & Norris have long been inspired by the stark vivid colors, expansive landscapes and all-encompassing beauty of the Southwest.

Mindi Partee, owner and curator of Austin’s impressive and forward thinking Haven Gallery, asserts that Texans are both enamored and fascinated with woven glass. “The artist’s work is very popular with my clientele. One of my favorite things about Eric and Thom’s sculpture is the mystery behind how it is done. I can’t tell you how many people ask about the technique on a daily basis…they are simply amazed with it. The fact that the creation of these pieces is kept secret adds an air of intrigue to their work. Markow & Norris sculptures are a perfect fit for this community as Austinites celebrate art that is truly unique and expertly crafted.”

“Woven Glass” also features the artist’s new “Dragonfly” sculpture which is the first in their new Arthropoda collection, a one of a kind series of giant insects. Markow & Norris were inspired by both the popularity and iconography of the dragonfly in Texas, and also their long admiration of Louis Comfort Tiffany and the memorable dragonflies within his lamps. With each of the 4 wings measuring approximately 38 inches long, the Dragonfly wall sculpture is 6 ½ feet wide and over 5 feet long. The exhibition also gives a special acknowledgment to Austin, with the unveiling of “Texas Longhorn Skull,” part of a series of Georgia O’Keefe inspired skulls (a topic of a recent “American Icons” radio interview with the artists on Public Radio International).

Inspired by artists such as Georgia O’Keefe, Frank Lloyd Wright and Dale Chihuly, Markow & Norris assert that pushing the boundaries of their delicate medium is their ongoing goal. “We enjoy the complicated and strategically intricate process of our woven glass, it gives us an enormous amount of intimate time with every sculpture. This intense focus is often the catalyst for new ideas that manifest themselves in future sculpture. Each year we strive to push to boundaries of our woven glass, in size, shape and color, beyond what we thought was possible the year before. The only constant in our studio is the uninterrupted creation of new colors of glass.”

Haven Gallery, in downtown Austin, strives to live up to its name; to be a safe harbor where artists and people who seek and value art come together to admire works forged from expansive imagination and cultivated skill. Since Haven’s opening in 2006, the gallery has displayed an eclectic mix of two and three dimensional fine art and fine craft, including works in glass, metal, ceramic, wood, jewelry, judaica, mixed media, and paintings.

In addition to the newly emerging and established local artists at the gallery, Haven Gallery prides itself on discovering unique and distinctive art from around the world and bringing it home to the lively creative community

of Austin.