Review of Anne Burnham and Sandra Hildreth

October Art Exhibit at forARTSake

by Arnold Sauther

        The art show at forARTSake from October 6 to 27 features the work of Sandra Hildreth and Anne Burnham. This two-women show is entitled Intimate Views: a closer look at Adirondack Ponds and Rivers. When I interviewed Sandra and Anne, they proclaimed that the exhibit was a natural fit for each of them. Despite different art forms (painting and pottery), it is a complementary show.

The interest of both women in Nature, especially close-up, is obvious. Sandra and Anne love to be in the Adirondack scene. Each of them goes directly to the wilderness for inspiration and spiritual renewal. Sandra hikes and paddles to selected locations. Anne has a partime job that takes her into the woods to ponds and streams. The flora, reptiles, and insects they observe create an aesthetic experience that translates into painting and pottery. Both women pay attention to details in their creations, which in turn can raise our consciousness of the environment. We can take great pleasure in the beauty they are able to capture in their art.

            One, entitled Rocks & Water and composed from a series of waterfall scenes that Sandra calls an Adirondack Mandala, presents a giant square tipped on its edge within a circle with side divisions that are filled with dramatic trees, rocks, and flowing water. The varied angles and perspectives that Sandra uses enhance our perception of space and time. She said that she used some of her own photos as a guide for this, but most of her paintings were done directly on site at what she considered the “right” spot. Sandra said that each landscape she paints has a personal story, which may account for the intimacy and feelings communicated by her art.

            I found Sandra Hildreth’s close-up of the Massawepie Pitcher Plant to be unique especially because of its point of view. By looking directly down, she compresses space and reveals an unusually shaped flower. Several of the flowers radiate outward in an explosion of colors. These colors, according to Sandra, are carefully mixed to document nature correctly. She also captures the subtleties of a complex moss that forms the background and makes the small area around the flower a sensuous delight. Linear strings of grasses wind around the flowers and help to unify the composition. Sandra’s desire for authenticity is evidenced in the exquisite detail and sense of wild growth in this particular work.

          Anne Burnham’s pottery is both functional and decorative. Most of the forms on display are medium sized stoneware vessels. Despite a recent fire that has resulted in limited studio space, Anne has managed to produce a large variety of pots and tiles that have striking glazes and relief motifs from Nature. I particularly like the frogs, but the turtles and dragonflies are also creatively done and add to the richness and depth of her work.

        Anne Burnham does both hand built and wheel thrown pottery. The thrown pots on exhibit are light and sturdy. They fit comfortably in the hand and have a smooth surface. The cone 6-10 firing gives a dark textural clay body. Some of the glazes are earth tones while others are deep and rich in color. Although fired in an electric kiln, many of the glazes have subtle reduction like effects that give the pieces a sensuous appeal.

        Anne’s frog designs stand out from the sides of some of her pots. They are so realistic in form and detail that they seem ready to jump. Anne said that she was able to meet the challenge of carving authentic looking frogs due to assistance from her friend Jeff Cobb. I also liked the tiles with a turtle relief design on top. Anne described how she attached two slabs and then carved away parts of the top layer to achieve a realistic effect and an appreciation of life that goes on just beneath the surface of familiar scenes in the Adirondacks.

          It is easy to add some Natural style to the day in a very “close-up” way using one of Anne’s ceramic mugs. The mugs come close to earth colors in their brown and green glazes. Each mug is definitely unique in design reflecting what Anne must notice most in her travels inside the Adirondacks: dragonflies, frogs, and turtles. Her handmade mugs are artistic and would be a joy to use. Anne Burnham has had over 30 years of experience making her hand thrown mugs, and these new pieces fit in well with her signature style.

        Intimate Views, which opens at forARTSake, contains 73 works that offer an ever-changing perspective of the Adirondacks. Seeing so much variety in images from Hildreth’s “Rocks and Water” to Anne’s “Jump Frog” lamp delivers a clear message: we are blessed with a richness and diversity of life in places close at hand. The shifting succession of close up views serves to enhance the impact of the whole Adirondack scene. Go to forARTSake to see the beauty of nature as only Sandra Hildreth and Anne Burnham can express it, and you, too, will be amazed by what you see. I encourage you to see the show and meet the artists at the Artist Reception on Friday, October 13 from 6 to 8 PM. Otherwise, drop in at forARTSake any time during opening hours: 10 to 5 Tuesday to Friday and 10 to 4 on Saturday.