Community

I've been fortunate to live on remote Orcas Island for more than three decades, surrounded by natural beauty and so many talented artists.

Substrate Exhibition Video, San Juan Islands Museum of Art

In 1999, I was asked to serve a Tea Ceremony for the community at Susan Osborn’s “Living Room,” which had become a salon-like gathering space for artists of all kinds in the village of Eastsound. Susan is a vocalist who came to prominence as the lead singer for the Paul Winter Consort. Later, she won a grammy and sang at the Olympics in Japan, which resulted in busloads of Japanese tourists visiting Orcas Island to take her singing workshops.

Susan had asked artist Susan Singleton if she would hang one of her pieces of art in the space for the occasion. Singleton was known nationally and internationally for both large-scale architectural work as well as more intimate poetic pieces that incorporated the textural surfaces of paper, including Japanese Washi paper and paper from Nepal and India.  In her own words, Singleton explains that her "inspiration springs from the natural world with its intricate simplicity, balance, textures, scale, and light." She considers her pieces as portals recording time, light and air. 

Substrate exhibit with Susan Singleton and Hannah Alex-Glasser

Artwork by Susan Singleton

That was the first time I was introduced to Singleton's stunning work. I fell in love with it before I even knew her. Eventually, after meeting, I mustered up the courage to ask to see her studio and we've been friends ever since.

In 2006 I went to Hannah Alex-Glasser and Jim Hardman’s exhibition at Orcas Center. I felt an immediate connection to the elements of earth, nature, and the human spirit in Hannah’s work, and I was very moved. Hannah’s art, like mine, grows out of a fundamental connection with nature. She describes nature’s beauty, complexity, and integrity as a constant source of centering and awe. Her clay works are hand-built, unglazed, and fired in an open flame. 

Pierrot’s Crescent by Hannah Alex-Glasser

Years later, in 2011, talented artists Kate Geddes, Susan Singleton, Susan Mustard, and I organized our own artists’ salon. I have fond memories of visiting each others’ studios and critiquing each others' work. It was an important part of my evolution as an artist, and I found myself growing in confidence with the support of these women. In retrospect, I realize how rare and potent that connection has been.

Tears for the World exhibit at Orcas Center (Singleton, Alex-Glasser, Susol)

In 2013, while sitting with Susan Singleton and Pat Littlewood, who was in charge of artist relations at Orcas Center, Pat asked me to exhibit.  I was apprehensive because I only had a few pieces, not enough to fill a show, but Singleton offered to do the show with me to make it more feasible. I thought, 'A show with Susan Singleton, WOW!' I remembered Hannah’s sculptures and thought they would be a perfect fit, too. Susan and Hannah didn’t know each other yet, so Hannah invited us to tea.  When Susan saw Hannah’s work, she fell in love with it as I knew she would.  That introduction initiated a friendship and a professional collaboration between the three of us that spanned 2014-2018. We exhibited our work jointly in four venues across the region during those years and each time the experience was wonderful. 

One of those exhibits was in the spacious Nichols Gallery at the San Juan Islands Museum of Art. Susan Singleton, Hannah Alex-Glasser, and I created the exhibit “Substrate: Underlying Currents.” Our close association, cultural influences, and our philosophies brought a beautiful harmony to the exhibit.

Christian Carlson of the Perry and Carlson Gallery described our relationship and our joint exhibit with these words:

“In the way that the loosely described Northwest School brought the qualities of dappled light, mysticism and the quietude of Pacific Northwest nature to their audiences in the mid 20th century, Kandis, Hannah and Susan’s work dialogues on such a level — the quiet power of monochrome schema, the play of light on surfaces, and the viewer’s experience of being drawn, layer after layer, into complexities where a singular experience awaits.”

I learned so much during our time together and am deeply grateful to Susan and Hannah and all the mentors and other artists along the way that were generous with their support.

Painter Martha Farish was also an important part of the evolution and growing passion around my work. Her own work with colors is stunning, whether she is painting and abstracting landscapes in southern California or the Pacific Northwest. She has always been supportive, often sharing her wonderful island studio and space at the Water's Edge at Outlook Inn to help me photograph my work in better light. In the early days, before I built a small gallery space at my home, some of my pieces were so large that I had nowhere to hang them until Martha encouraged me to hang work in the Outlook Inn to sell. This step also boosted my confidence when it came to taking my work out commercially.

White Cloud, 2021, recent commission photographed by Ilias Schneider at Water’s Edge at Outlook Inn

The opportunity to exhibit at the Perry & Carlson Gallery with fellow artists has been a wonderful experience. I have great admiration for their contributions to the artistic community. If you have not visited their gallery, it's a must. Owners Trina (an artist and retail designer) and Christian (an artist and architect) stumbled across the 1924 Brunet Building in historic downtown Mount Vernon—in need of a major renovation— then bought the space and made their dream of opening a shop and gallery a reality.

Perry & Carlson Gallery

As the years have gone by, I look back now and see how all of us creative spirits have touched each other’s lives in sometimes little ways and occasionally great ways. I will be forever grateful for the gifts of loving support and kindness, as well as the hard lessons that have helped shape me.  Deep bows to every artist who has shared my journey. 

Artist Susan Singleton during installation of a joint exhibit

Having fun with artist and gallery owner Trina Perry Carlson

Capturing Hannah Alex-Glasser at her studio door