June 2010
The Art of Light
The gallery glows in June with the warm, inviting ambiance of artistic lighting. Steven Cornett presents his latest creations of exquisite hand blown glass lanterns. Lâm Quảng and Kestrel Gates of HiiH Lights in Portland display a collection of their paper light sculptures in a juxtaposition of elegant white forms and colorful small boxes.
HiiH lights Everted
HiiH Paper Light Sculpture
Lâm Quảng and Kestrel Gates are a husband-wife team who work together from concept and design, through the creation of their paper light sculptures. HiiH, pronounced “hi hi,” is the function of light, the craft of paper-making, and the art of sculpture. Their work is inspired by the natural world and draws from an Asian aesthetic. Kestrel was raised in Ashland and Lam, originally from Vietnam, began making paper, and in turn, lanterns, over ten years ago, inspired by childhood memories of moon festivals.
“Beginning with natural raw materials, using both traditional and self-taught techniques, we create illuminated paper forms. The rhythms of paper-making, bending wire, and papering, painting and waxing, shape our days and weeks. We work collaboratively, inspiring one another into further exploration.”
“For us, this work feels both functional and expressive. We consider how the light will affect the feeling and usage of a space. We are deeply inspired by the natural world and natural life cycles. These qualities of new growth, of silence, of fruition that we see around us in the natural world we also feel within us. With our work, we hope to enhance these elements in other people’s lives.”
Steven Cornett glass lantern
Steven Cornett
Steven Cornett has been working with glass since 1989, when he took his first glassblowing class with Kent Ipsen, a man known for his life-sized lead crystal castings.
“From the moment I first saw glass being blown, I was mesmerized by its molten glow. The process drew me in, igniting what has become a twenty year passion for glass. I have always been fascinated by the life that each piece exudes when it is aglow, and have long tried to capture that essence.”
In this new series of lanterns, Steven has “infused the life of the fire into each finished piece. By adding light to traditional vessel shapes, I feel the spirit of the process is reclaimed.”
Steven currently creates custom work in studios in the Rogue Valley near his home in Ashland, Oregon.