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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 2018)
8 // COASTWEEKEND.COM Wood carver the new featured artist at Art Loft ASTORIA — Jim Unwin, a master sculp- tor and wood carver from the Long Beach Peninsula, will be the featured artist at the Astoria Art Loft (106 3rd St.) Friday, March 2, through Tuesday, April 3. Meet Unwin and view his carvings 1 to 3 p.m. during this month’s Second Saturday Art Walk in Astoria. Unwin turns chunks of wood into sculp- tures of rare beauty. For him, wood carving is not just a skill but a personal and spiritu- al journey. The wood, once a living thing, “communicates” with the sculptor and often determines the direction it wants the artist to go. “Driftwood comes with shapes that tell a story and define who they are, with little or no alteration,” he said. He believes carving is a lesson in life, “to learn the balance between pushing in to make the right cut or pulling back.” Unwin’s favorite subjects come from nature, especially ravens. “Ravens,” Unwin said, “are very intelligent and adaptable and have a special place in many cultures and their mythology.” Unwin admires the Northwest Native style with its intricacies and tie-ins with nature. Understanding First Americans’ sensitivity about people copying their work, he said, “even though I am using that style and I borrow from the legends, I do my own thing. I try to make each piece a connection with the inner world — the place where the Spirit dwells within all of us and makes us connected.” For more information, call 502-325-4442 or email atoriaartloft@gmail.com. COURTESY ASTORIA ART LOFT Jim Unwin’s carving, “Logo Mar” Bee part of a special exhibition ASTORIA — The Astoria Art Loft is concerned about the future of bees — and the future of humanity. To call attention to the con- tributions of bees and the dangers they face, the Art Loft is featuring a special exhibition devoted to bees. Artists — including children, emerging artists and professional artists — are invited to produce artwork celebrating the insects. The pieces should be ready to hang and turned in to the Art Loft by Wednesday, March 28, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. or other times by special arrangement. There are about 20,000 bee species in the world and 4,000 in Oregon. Some live in hives, some in wood and some in the ground. Some live together in large groups, others by them- selves. Although nearly all bees collect pollen and nectar, only honeybees, bumblebees and a few others produce honey, beeswax, royal jelly and other products. Bees are very busy! THINKSTOCKPHOTOS.COM A bumblebee flies to a flower. On a given day, a bee may make 10 trips to 100 dif- ferent flowers and bring its body weight in pollen back to the hive. It can fly at 15 mph and cover 5 miles. These busy creatures make 6,000 tons of honey and contribute approximately $1 billion to the economy each year. Over the past decade, thousands of bees have died from various causes, and some people believe that man has played a role in this tragedy. If we wish to continue our present way of life, we must become more dedicated to keeping bees healthy and thriving. For more information about the exhibition, contact the Art Loft at 503- 325-4442 or astoriaart- loft@gmail.com. A marble to behold ASTORIA — The Asto- ria Art Loft is hosting a marbling class 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, March 2; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 3; and 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, March 9. Marbling is the creation of patterns resembling smooth marble or oth- er stones. It is done by floating color on a liquid and placing paper on the surface to create patterns. Marbling began in Japan in the 12th century, spread to Persia and Turkey, and then to Europe. The techniques to create the colorful patterns were kept secret for hundreds of years. When bookbinding became pop- ular and marbled papers decorated the end papers in books, the secret came out. Interest in marbling waned in the 1900s but was revived in the 1970s. It is popular once again. For more information, please call 503-325-4442 or email astoriaartloft@ gmail.com.
