Metal and Glass – two perspectives Perry Hoffman & Colette Coad

…for artists Colette Coad, metal inclusions in fused glass and Perry Hoffman, digital collage and photographs on metal.

Coad says to her, glass is not only her medium, it is a source of great joy and sometimes great frustration.  Eight years ago, she took a class on glass fusing, then bought a kiln and some glass (enough to fill a stand holding eight pieces).  Today, she has two kilns, five stands and two crates of glass.  “I love glass. Glass has always intrigued and fascinated me.  I think the dichotomy of it being both dangerous and fragile while being so beautiful is captivating.  I love the way it looks in different lights and the almost endless combinations of colors and even textures that can be created,” says Coad. For this exhibit, Coad is using an auto-embossing technique using plants that gives the glass depth and texture.

Before retiring and discovering her “inner artist,” Coad had a very busy and fulfilling career in management consulting.  She traveled extensively in North America and Europe while raising her family with her husband.  Although she loved her career and the many creative opportunities, none of those opportunities were artistic.  After moving to the Mendonoma coast, she rediscovered glass and the creative processes it provides.

Hoffman studied art at California Institute of the Arts in Valencia before moving the San Francisco in 1975 (Perry notes that his art education actually began in the first grade, but he got into trouble for drawing a nude.) In the Bay Area, he created color Xerox collages and mail art, photography and clay, as well as small backyard gardens. In 2000, Hoffman moved to the Mojave Desert, near Joshua Tree National Park. He studied the harsh but beautiful landscape in depth with his camera in hand, inspired by the wildlife, huge skies and magic of the desert. From 2000 to 2008, he created The Tile House, covering an entire house, both inside and out with mosaics. He says he was “inspired by my first visit to the Watts Towers when I was 10-years old.”  In 2005, he collaborated (and later married) artist Douglas Smith. The house now features Hoffman’s mosaics and Smith’s furniture.

The Coast Highway Art Collective is located at 284 Main St., Point Arena, the little red building with the big yellow sun, located next to the Redwood Credit Union. This exhibit runs from October 5 – 29. Regular hours are Thursday through Sunday, 11 am to 4 pm. (Please call the number below on Thursdays to ensure we are open that day.)

Visit the website at www.coast-highway-artists.com for information about the collective’s artists, upcoming events and how to join. To find out more about becoming a member of the Collective, contact Ling-Yen Jones via the website above or call 707-882-3616 to leave a message.