Art exploration & techniques

Evening View of the Blue Whole Gallery

 Debbie Cain

Endless Opportunities with a Gourd

"Metallica"

Debbie Cain

      Debbie Cain, member artist of the Blue Whole Gallery has explored various surfaces to express her art. But nine years ago she became captivated and excited with the possibilities of using natural dried gourds as a canvas to work on.  Such a medium offered her the challenge of combining carving and wood burning on a natural surface,  revealing a 3D image. That exploration opened a world of opportunities enhancing and incorporating various natural materials along with images she drew and painted on the surface of gourd.  

 

"King of the Wild"

"Swimming Sea Turtles"

     Debbie uses both carving & wood burning techniques to develop images or subjects on the surfaces of gourds.  Preparation of natural dried gourds is only the first step to be followed by hours of carving & surface smoothing along with painting subjects and images on the gourd itself.  To embellish her images she uses natural materials such as pine needles, shells, turquoise stones, feathers, antler along with in laced threads and fibers.

"Twined Gourd"

     For twenty years Debbie was a stained glass artist yet her gourd art has captured her heart because it offers the freedom of imagination without limits.  This freedom can be seen in the fine example to the right where Debbie weaves threads and fibers through out the gourd. It is a skill that must evaluate the thickness of walls and the strength of the gourd itself.

     Besides carving and embedding natural elements into her gourd art she has ventured into creating 3D carvings in several pieces.  Such endeavors have won her recognition in the Arizona Gourd Society competition that resulted in first place and two ribbons in the Yucca Valley Gourd Festival that lead to First Place for creativity and people's choice. 

"Falling Leaves"

      Debbie Cain's creations can be viewed by the public at the Blue Whole Gallery for as an active member of this cooperative Gallery she holds a unique status.  The only gourd artist whose art work is as different from other artists as can possibly be, the Gallery welcomes it wholeheartedly.  So give yourself an artistic adventure and view her works at the Gallery or contact her at her e-mail address dcain0516@gmail.com







                                                       Joyce Volmut

Ornithology Revealed in Wood

Joyce Volmut

    After working in the public health nursing and non profit work in establishing health access in Kansas, Joyce Volmut began to concentrate her efforts on wood carving of animals.  Her abilities won her exhibitions in several art galleries in Topeka Kansas, SouthWind Gallery, and the Topeka Art Guild Gallery.   Now as a member of the Blue Whole Gallery her wood carvings can be seen on the Olympic Peninsula as well.  

"Western Screech Owl"

   

Tufted Titmouse

Grey Wolf

     Although Joyce has concentrated on bird carving primarily she also carves animals.  Using basswood and other found woods she tries to capture the essence of a bird in a realistic manner.  She pays particular attention to facial expression, feather layout and the general demeanor of the bird or image being carved. This is highlighted by her interest in ornithology, the anatomy, behavior and simple beauty of the bird as it performs its daily functions.

Red Shafted Northern Flicker

          Joyce interest in carving birds and animals centers on creating a striking moment in time that the general public can relate to and incorporating a natural habitat into the finished piece.  Her abilities in carving wood makes each piece visually real, her rendering feathers seem soft to the touch and the detail exhibited is remarkable.  This is particularly seen in her Red Shafted Northern Flicker where a realistic pose is captured and its facial expression, feather layout and setting is exhibited realistically, almost convincing the viewer to ask the question is it alive!

Sandering - oil on Basswood/Maple

   Joyce Volmut has  taught bird carving at the Baker Woodcarving Seminar at Baker University in Baldwin Kansas and at the Soldier Creek Studio in Topeka, Kansas.  Fortunately, she now resides on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State and continues to carve her creations in Sequim exhibiting them at the Blue Whole Gallery as an active member.   Joyce can be reached through her e-mail address: joyce.volmut@gmail.com