Cynthia Myers, Etched Glass and Siobhan Elder, Hand Painted Silk Scarves

The August exhibit at the Dolphin Gallery features hand painted silk scarves by Siobhan Elder and etched glass by Cynthia Myers. The opening night reception is on Saturday, Aug. 1 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and the show runs through Tuesday, Sept 1. Admission is free.

Cynthia Myers

In her first two-person show at the Dolphin Gallery Myers will display a wide variety of sand-carved and etched glass pieces using techniques honed through over 25 years of working in this medium. Her creative process begins with the design of the blown glass she uses from three glassblower artisans in the U.S. She first adheres resist tape to the surface of the glass and carefully draws her designs taking into account how the pattern will reflect light. Next, she cuts out the pattern of areas that will be sand blasted or etched. With experience acquired over many years she etches in the design one detail at a time inside the studio’s sandblasting booth.

“My work is meant to be more than a functional object such as a wine goblet, a vase or even a glass front door,” says Myers. “Each is a personal statement meant to reflect the taste of the owner and to provide artistic pleasure to the viewer. Each completed piece captures and bends the light to produce its own luminous effect.”

Besides her own creations Myers offers custom-designed artwork for both commercial and residential setting. In the home clients can commission front doors, windows, shower and tub enclosures, transoms and other architectural features. Her commercial work could include reception areas, conference rooms, and other glass enclosed areas.

Myers’ work is found in collections across the United States and in both Europe and Japan, on display in a number of galleries including ones in Mendocino, Half Moon Bay and Cambria. Her web site – CynthiaMyersGlass.com – provides numerous examples of her commercial projects, commissions, and Art Glass Series.

Siobhan Elder

Like Myers, Elder is having her first appearance at the Dolphin Gallery and she too creates items that combine function with fine art. She stresses the transformational power of art in her chosen medium of fabrics. “My process begins with an idea I want to convey,” says Elder. “My ‘Empowerment through Accessories’ series of scarves to help women undergoing chemotherapy is just one example of the direction my work may take. I create a wide array of silk scarves that both help the wearer and make the world a better place.”

Elder begins the artistic process by hand painting designs onto stretched white silk. The jacquard silk scarves may include up to thirteen different applications made over a period of time. The metal resists she uses allow her to apply each separate color in a custom pattern that creates a clean line and prevents the dyes from bleeding into each other. Mixing colors together also produces interesting results. Once she is satisfied with her outcome the design is heat set and the material can then be steamed, washed, or dry cleaned without affecting the colors.

One line of scarves featured on her web page – SiobhanSilks.com – is entitled “Purr” and is inspired by the memory of Tatiana, a tiger that died under tragic circumstances at the San Francisco Zoo. The flowing lines of these scarves evoke the tiger’s supple coloring and emphasize a more universal message about the consequences of thoughtless actions.

Elder, who now resides on the Sonoma Mendocino coast, holds a degree in Fine Art from Montana State University where she focused on Printmaking. Over the past 30 years her work has appeared from Park Avenue to Point Arena in galleries, boutiques, retail catalogs and art shows. “I am filled with gratitude that my life work ultimately makes women feel beautiful.”