July 2014: Bonnie and Dennis Blake

Jewelry and fiber art by Bonnie Blake, and photography by Dennis Blake join the July featured show this month.

Meet Bonnie and Dennis at this month’s First Thursday celebration, July 10, at 5:30 pm in our gallery.

Bonnie Blake

Bonnie is a jewelry maker and fiber artist. Whether sawing and hammering the hard surfaces of silver and copper or manipulating wool and silk, she loves the textures and the tactile nature of the materials.

Each piece of Bonnie’s jewelry is hand made from sterling and may include other metals, stones, or found objects. She collects rocks, glass, pottery shards, and other objects which are always waiting to be included in her creations.

Adding to her passion to manipulate materials, she also works with fiber. Coaxing pieces of wearable art from wool, silk, and other fibers is like magic to her. The soft, pliable fibers of scarves and shawls contrast with the hard, shiny edges of jewelry, making them truly complementary art forms.

Dennis Blake

Her husband Dennis has traveled extensively; photographing people and places, including Thailand where he lived for a year, South America, Central America, Europe, and Australia, Ireland, Cook Islands, and New Zealand. Closer to home he finds found photographic opportunities in most of the states in the U.S and several of the Canadian provinces. He’s always looking for the picture with a story. Capturing the scenic, quirky, or interesting perspective through the lense provides great satisfaction.

Dennis Blake: Abandoned

Dennis lived in Southwest Washington most of his life, graduated from Kelso High School and attended Lower Columbia College before continuing my studies at Central Washington University. His involvement in the ski club at LCC and his first point and shoot camera led him to a love for skiing and a fascination of capturing the beauty of the outdoors. After attending Brooks Institute of Photography for one year, he realized I wanted photography to be a“serious”hobby while pursuing other career opportunities.

Each day presents new challenges to find new photographic stories. Whether working, traveling, or just driving into town on an errand, Dennis is always looking for that great photographic opportunity with just the right lighting.