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Kait Rhoads Discussion & Reception
WHEN: August 12, 2005 6 - 8 pm
WHERE: Arts Center, 719 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, FL 33701
COST: Free and open to the public
Noted Glass Sculptor Kait Rhoads Discusses Her Latest Works At Arts Center Reception
Meet glass artist Kait Rhoads and join us for a discussion and slide presentation of her latest work at an intimate wine and cheese reception held at the Arts Center.
Even in a city such as Seattle, notorious for the vast number of glass artists stretching the limits of the medium, Kait Rhoads stands out.
A child of the sea, Rhoads grew up sailing around the Bahamas and Virgin Islands with her family.
These formative years led to a lifelong fascination with the way light and color interact; play off each other and fuse together to create what at times may seem to be a living, breathing entity.
She was also influenced in a less ephemeral way -- her first job on the boat was to learn the intricate language of the nautical knot, ensuring the safety of the boat and her family.
This blend of the practical and the ephemeral; the fragile and the solid; has been a cornerstone of her work ever since. As a woman practicing in a field dominated by men, her work echoes the emotional and physical strength she brings to each piece, many of which are crafted with traditional women's work, such as weaving or sewing, as an influence.
After a brief stint at Rollins College, and while earning her degree at the Rhode Island School of Design, Rhoads began working primarily in glass, studying groundbreaking innovations in molten glass under Michael Scheiner, who had been the first American assistant to the famed Italian glassblower Lino Tagliapietra. A pattern soon emerged: she worked for a variety of glass artists, but soon began to chafe at the creative constraints.
She then traveled to Italy, immersing herself in the medium and absorbing the centuries-old traditions and methodologies of the masters. Granted a Fulbright Scholarship in 2001, she began a year of work in Venice at the newly opened Abate Zanetti on Murano, solidifying her teaching skills and desire to work independently.
Moving back to Seattle, Rhoads is now one of the area's preeminent glass-blowers. A perennial award-winner for her intricate designs, Rhaods has been collected internationally and has been an artist-in-residence at the Pilchuck School, founded by Dale Chihuly.
