Snow Cones by Viola Brown and Tess Bidelspach

First Friday Opening Reception and Fashion Show: June 3, 2011 from 7-10 p.m.
Golden Rule Gallery, 811 E. Burnside, Suite 122, Portland, OR 97214
Show runs June 5th through June 29th
Gallery hours and Public Participatory Hours: 12-6, all days
Meet the Artists: Tuesdays in June, 10-12

Golden Rule Gallery in collaboration with Project Grow is pleased to present Snow Cones, a public participatory exhibit featuring wearable art by Tess Bidelspach, soft sculpture works by Viola Brown, and an ongoing community mural painting and fiber arts project themed around the artists' respective love for blue and green snow cones. Snow cones for the eating will be served all month.

VIOLA BROWN

At age 70, Viola Brown is an artist who uses found objects as the basis for her sculptures. Beginning with everyday items such as a picture frame or a fry basket, Viola creates complex, layered compositions by systematically enveloping these objects in fiber material. Viola's process reveals itself to be simultaneously nurturing and destructive to the existing architecture, as she de-emphasizes inherent structures and gives life to new forms.

TESS BIDELSPACH

Focusing on texture and material, Tess Bidelspach makes wearable creations that blur the line between garment and art. With an emphasis on process over product, Tess begins each piece with a single material and employs unconventional hand techniques that transform it into something entirely new. While remaining mindful of the human form, her pieces give a glimpse into her unique world view for viewers and wearers alike.

Tess Bidelspach