This October, the Gallery at the Park presents “When Art Is Passion,” a unique multimedia solo exhibition from Anne Krohn Graham!
Graham taught fine arts and design at the University of Delaware for 30 years. In 1999, she retired as Professor of Art and Head of Metals and Jewelry, received the distinction of Professor of Art Emeritus, and moved to Eastern Washington. Since then, she has worked from her home studio in Richland, creating one-of-a-kind paintings, sculptures, collages, and wearable objects.
Graham is an award-winning artist and internationally recognized metalsmith whose work is found in public and private collections across the country and abroad. Her pieces are in the permanent collections of the Cooper-Hewitt Museum in New York City (the Smithsonian National Museum of Design), the DuPont Company, Mitsubishi Corporation, the Delaware Art Museum, and the University of Iowa Museum of Art.
Graham has exhibited her work at the Aaron Faber Gallery on Fifth Avenue in New York City for more than 25 years. She is currently professionally active in the Society of North American Goldsmiths.
In her “When Art Is Passion” exhibition, Graham explores her discovery of the Pacific Northwest through paintings, tabletop objects, jewelry, and more.
In one collection, “Conversation With Birds,” Graham uses the medium of copper vases to honor the landscape along the Columbia River, referencing designs of sagebrush, wheat, seeds, and stones. In another collection, “Pipeline: Urban Chaos,” she explores the urban environment using constructed collages of encaustic painting, enamel on metal, and anodized aluminum.
Graham is a pioneer in the anodizing and dyeing of aluminum in sculptural art and jewelry. She believes the transformation of a non-precious metal (aluminum) into a precious surface achieves a beauty and meaning beyond the commercial value of the original material.
Graham’s “Motion, Sound and Play” collection features necklaces in silver and anodized aluminum. In contrast, “Shrine Brooches” is a collection of pieces made of silver and semiprecious stones, inspired by a lifetime of world travel.
See all nine collections of Anne Krohn Graham’s “When Art Is Passion” exhibition at the Gallery at the Park from September 30 to October 31.
Anne dedicates her exhibition to Jean H. Futrell, the beloved scientist who brought her to the Pacific Northwest. Their marriage of 36 years was filled with love, appreciation of each other, and a passion for adventuresome travel. Jean was happy and productive until his death on November 13th, 2024.
