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Welcome to the Gallery 28 Newsletter -why the name Sketchbook? In art school, I recall having to turn in a weekly sketchbook to my instructors that was filled with sketches, studies, notes and other ramblings from the week- sometimes it even contained my shopping lists, activities I had heard about, and other miscellaneous that might spark an idea. I hope you enjoy this issue, and if you have any comments or requests for future topics, just let us know! - Jan Schmuckal, Gallery 28 artist and co-owner |
 First Fridays Concert
February Sky performs at
Gallery 28 on January 7th
concert begins at 8 pm
It's starting to be an annual tradition!
Gallery 28 Fine & Functional Art in downtown Geneva, IL is proud to present folk duo February Sky in a free concert during the First Fridays gallery walk on January 7th. The concert starts at 8 pm. There is a limited amount of folding chairs available, so concert-goers are encouraged to bring their own. Refreshments will be available during intermission.
February Sky is traditional singer and Celtic guitarist Phil Cooper with songwriter and singer Susan Urban.
The concert is also being video recorded for YouTube as well - plan on joining in the fun! Phil sings and plays his own arrangements of traditional tunes on six string guitar and cittern, and he also interprets a number of carefully chosen songs from the best of modern folk song writers, as well as backing Susan up on her songs. Susan Urban is a writer of story songs and humorous "slice of life" songs. She accompanies her songs plus Phil's songs and tunes on six and twelve-string guitar, six string banjo, mountain dulcimer and hand percussion instruments. Phil and Susan present a combination of old and new songs addressing the widest possible range of experience, complete with vocal harmony, intricate instrumentation and thoughtful stagecraft. They believe that folk music is a continuum - whether the songs are self-penned or have a history thousands of years old, as long as they speak to the human condition and the human heart, they carry on the folk tradition.
Please join us for a wonderful evening of music on January 7th!
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WHY IS WOOD FIRED POTTERY SPECIAL?
 | | Wood Fired Pottery at Gallery 28 |
Because wood-fired kilns are expensive and time-consuming, and their use requires special expertise, they are the rarest kind in use.
Ceramic artists that practice wood firing build a traditional sloping or arched, wood-fired kiln outdoors. These tunnel-shaped kilns can vary in size.
One of our artists, Michael Schael, uses an 18 foot long and 4 foot tall kiln he built using salvaged bricks from an old brick kiln. Because wood-firing is so labor intensive, most wood-fired ceramic artists only have a few firings per year. They stacks the long, domed brick chambers for up to a week-long firing process.
The fire in the kiln must be stoked with wood continually twenty four hours a day during the firing process, both at the ends and from the sides, in between the stacks of pots being fired.The heat is intense, and the work exhausting. Planning out exactly how the fire will travel through the kiln is an art in itself, and is the key to how the kiln itself is loaded with ceramics to be fired, and the reaction of the ash and heat with each piece. Super-heated wood ash deposited on the clay bodies melts to a richly textured glaze, in that marriage of earth, wood, fire, and accident which makes wood-fired ceramics unique. To see a short video that Michael has created about firing his wood fired kiln, click on this link:Wood Firing Video - you will be taken to the artist's website to view the video it may take a minute or two to download, but it's worth the wait!
You will need Quicktime to view the video -if you don't have Quicktime on your computer, it's a free viewer from Apple that can be downloaded here:
Stop in to Gallery 28 to see the video and some of Michael's wood-fired pieces - each piece is unique, well designed and a treasure!
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About Us
Tucked away in the quaint historic district of downtown Geneva Illinois in an historic Victorian home, Gallery 28 features a fresh mix of breath-taking paintings, exquisite jewelry, sculpture, photography, pottery and unique works in wood and metal along with music by premier musicians. Artist owned and operated. |
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