Steve Chell, Decorative mirrors Mike Hanson, Blown glass sculpture Opening Reception: Saturday, April 2, 2011, 5:00 p.m. Exhibit remains through May 4 Dolphin Gallery

The Dolphin Gallery will feature Mike Hanson's blown glass sculpture and the decorative mirrors of Steve Chell from the opening reception Saturday, April 2 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. through Wednesday, May 4.

About Mike Hanson

Way before he started working with glass, Mike Hanson had a fascination with it. He is a self-taught glass artist who started out doing lamp-worked pieces like fish, birds and flowers. His love of glass broadened into learning glass blowing skills allowing him to make larger pieces.

As he built his skills he found that he was inspired by nature and the ocean. His vacation home in Anchor Bay (five miles north of Gualala) brings him coastal inspirations. His blown pieces include waves, sea shells, and star fish.

He has recently moved to Sonoma County (Santa Rosa) where he is surrounded by another beautiful setting. His newer creations include leaves and gear shift knobs which incorporate his lamp-worked murrinis (miniature glass designs).

His training as an electrical contractor helps him make light fixtures with his glass. He has made sea shell lamps and sconces along with more classic fluted designs. He enjoys building a lot of his own equipment to create the original designs you see. He also works with metal and wood to accent his pieces. He continues to develop new ways of combining lamp working and glass blowing to create new designs that he hopes will bring happiness to others as much as it does him.

About Steve Chell

Craft artist Steve Chell began his efforts by building mirror frames of hardwoods noted for their striking color and figure, turning them into one-of-a-kind artworks with strips of those beautifully colored woods and colored mirror set onto the base mirror.

In recent years, he expanded his artistic expression by adhering strips of flame-treated copper under textured glass onto the base mirror as colorful insets - then placing the base mirror in a black frame. He also has placed strips of other metals, handmade papers, his own digital photo-graphs, and other materials for new and unusual effects.

Steve uses a variety of textured glass and colored mirror - primarily silver, bronze, gray and copper mirror. He continues to build his frames from woods found around the globe - maple, canarywood, wenge, padauk, granadillo, cocobolo, koa and others distinguished by figure and color - as well as from the sophisticated black wood mouldings he buys commercially.

Reflektions' mirrors and designs are unique in concept and complement a variety of home and office decors - from contemporary to Asian to Craftsman and even traditional. They are available through The Dolphin Gallery in Gualala, the Edgewater Gallery in Fort Bragg, or as commissions.

The Dolphin Gallery is located at 39225 Highway One in downtown Gualala, CA
(behind the post office on the south side). Open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Please call (707) 884-3896 for more information.