From Brass to Bronze

Black Totems 2005 - 2009 by Herb Alpert, Ace Gallery

Musician Herb Alpert's bronze totem sculptures are inspired by the wooden totems of the NW Tlingit tribe. He is also a painter - that is a lot of talent for one person.



Yes, it is this Herb Alpert.

Shell Game

Sailor's Valentine, ca 1884-1889, Bridgetown, Barbados, British West Indies, The Mariners' Museum.

The story goes that 19th century sailors made these for their loved ones while they were out at sea, but in reality most of them were made by women on the islands that the sailors visited and they brought them back to their homes. Regardless of who made them they became treasured items and many different examples have survived. They are still being created today using the traditional methods.

Strength in Subtlety

Burn by Kara Walker, 1998, Sikkema Jenkens & Co.

Kara Walker takes a close look at race in America and makes strong statements about what she sees. In this instance, her artwork is done as a silhouette and at first glance may not seem to be a harsh a look as it really is; her use of a traditional and mostly innocuous medium makes her message even stronger.

"Miss Perry's Pottery"

Classic shape and colors, Pewabic Pottery, Detroit, MI

The Pewabic pottery was founded by Mary Chase Perry Stratton in 1903 in Detroit and the building they built to house the pottery in 1915 is still being used today. They have a museum, they offer classes, and they run a retail shop out of the original building. It is the only arts & crafts pottery still in continuous production in the Midwest.