Painter David Pettibone and ceramicist Deb Schwartzkopf exhibit together at Bunnell Street Arts Center for the month of August. Their exhibit will open Friday, August 5th, from 5-7pm, with artist talks at 6pm at Bunnell Street Arts Center.

David Pettibone

“I moved to Alaska in search of wilderness. Painting being an autobiographical medium, these works describe the domesticated wilderness in which I now call home.

The paintings were painted outdoors and directly observed. Some were created over hours, some days, weeks and some took months. There is an inherent improvisation to this direct process. One moment, the light bounces off a tree trunk, describing its form a certain way. I respond with marks of color on the canvas. The next moment, the sun is further west in the sky or, perhaps, a cloud has rolled in and the trunk is bathed in new light, revealing different forms. Suddenly, I’m provided with a new set of opportunities in which there are seemingly infinite ways to respond: scrape down to the canvas with the knife, blend with a brush loaded with new color or layer over with ever thicker globs of paint. Some responses are haphazard, some are lucky mistakes and some are better than others. True to the spontaneous, creative process of improvisation, I hardly know how the painting will resolve until the moment it does.” – David Pettibone

Biography:

David Pettibone is a figurative painter. He lives and paints north of Anchorage. Often, you can often find him outdoors painting a tree, just off of the trail. His paintings are in various public and private collections. He regularly exhibits and has taught painting and drawing at various schools and institutions in both New York City and Alaska. He co-owns The Shop Art Space, in downtown Anchorage, where he teaches drawing and painting.

Deb Schwartzkopf

“As a studio artist my goal is to make fabulous tableware that infuses life with purposeful beauty.  As an active community member and instructor I use my unique skill set, as an artist and small business owner, to offer educational opportunities. Through clay, I create pathways to cross-pollinate communities.

In order to make pottery I must approach the clay with openness and practiced skill, with a clear idea and playful intuition.  My studio practice is a constant cycle referring to itself in the way I draw from my own processes and from my approach to problem solving.  I also look farther afield, drinking in the many details of the world around me. I am a sponge for nuances of color placement in birds and how shadows break up forms and cause me to notice them anew. I am always seeking and asking myself, “How does this cup feel when held? Where will this pitcher live?  What am I communicating with this line or volume?”  As I spend hours in my studio working away, my mind blends and refracts the interests I research and the circling, recurring questions.  I love the stillness and intensity of my studio practice in which I am free to listen, to move clay, to invent… My studio practice feeds me.  I am fulfilled building my community through teaching workshops, trading eggs with neighbors, and spending time with friends and family. I am busy like a bee tending to the details of life, keeping up with my many hobbies, keeping my studio practice vibrate, promoting my career, mentoring in the studio, gardening and occasionally tinking away on my banjo. This constant motion feeds my energy and excitement for life, which I strive to capture in the forms and surfaces of my pottery.”

Biography:

In 2013 Deb established Rat City Studios in her hometown of Seattle, Washington where she provides support and mentorship for the growing clay community.  

She is excited to announce the opening of a sister studio, Rain City Clay in West Seattle. This will be space for experiential group learning, a ceramics specialty shop, and creating bridges to cross-pollinate communities, and more!

With over 15  years of experience, a Master’s of Fine Art at Penn State,  artwork included in collections such as the Kamm Teapot Foundation, San Angelo Museum, and the WA State Arts Collection, numerous publications including Ceramic Monthly, Pottery Making Illustrated, and Studio Potter Magazine, she has been recognized and honored in her career as a maker and is thrilled to be expanding the community.