Phipps is spreading extra joy and imagination this season with Jason Gamrath’s mind blowing glass creations in SUPER. NATURAL. They are larger than life, magnificent in detail, color and accuracy and transport you to wonderland you don’t ever want to leave.
I had the pleasure of joining the Seattle artist for lunch and then admiring his work alongside him on a treasure hunt of glass installations.
A bit of history - Seattle is the epicenter of American glass art and the city where the modern glass movement has occurred for over the past 40 years. Because of this the world has been exposed to this type of art in a whole new, perhaps more approving, way. Jason caught the tailend of the glassmaking legends era when he dedicated himself to this practice, with a seriousness that glassmaking requires, at the age of 18. So he trained as an apprentice for nearly a decade through a grueling process that looks like 10+ hours a day, often seven days a week.
For this specific show it took Jason and his team several years to create it from start to finish. This sounds drastic but experience his pieces for yourself and you’ll understand. Then take into consideration the extreme heat they work in constantly, that several set of hands must be on deck at all times, the works take three days to cool, the grinding process is violent, and only about 50% of the work makes it through this entire process. Respect!
Back to our afternoon together, I was lucky to experience firsthand his wonderment for nature. It was contagious and made my visit all the more inspiring and thought provoking.
What I grew to love about this natureful exhibition, besides that it’s intermingled throughout flora and fauna - nature always does it best - is that it demonstrates and honors the significance of our natural world. Which resonates with the modern lifestyle of getting lost in weekly schedules where commitments overwhelm and and professional pursuits reign.
Jason hopes his artwork inspires viewers to ask questions...Is nature important to me? And perhaps through enjoying the show you will realize you didn’t know how important it is to you.
“Beauty is so easy to find. Tune your brain into it.”
Another intriguing aspect of Mr. Gamrath is the motto that motivates his work: whatever he creates must appeal to children as well as adults. Would your kid-self like it? Are adults intrigued as well? Nature reignites the sense of wonderment we felt as children and he aims to recreate this. It was clear as we walked around Phipps that he experiences this quite often - something I respect and regularly delight in myself.
His insatiable nature-driven inspirations show through this unbridled enthusiasm, in addition to the insanely realistic nature of his work. When you’re touring through Phipps YOU MUST get respectfully upclose to witness all of the pieces’ glorious details.
His method for this is living with many of the plants he creates. This allows him to see how they grow, what their cycle is, how they live - he watches the buds break. And of course he spends time in nature, moments he pairs with intention - like mushroom hunting.
“Nature is too cool to ignore.”
Jason is the talent but Phipps was the channel that brought his wonderments to the masses. Props to them for realizing the importance of integrating nature and art, inspiring people to think about/value nature through creativity and exposing Pittsburgh to a very talented gentleman who lives outside of Pennsylvania.
So thank you Phipps for making this larger-than-life oasis come to life in our city.
I can’t imagine what kind of feat it was to pack the several sections of each piece into custom foam cocoons - this takes more hours than you could ever imagine - send them off on the long journey in a massive truck and then receive them on the other end all in tact. Now wrap your head around unpacking them all, removing the plants from each exhibition space and then spending weeks setting it all up.
This may be a once-in-a-lifetime viewing opportunity so take advantage of it!
If you have you been looking for a new late night activity, something to impress visitors/transplants or a way to excite date night then take up Phipps on their offer to indulge in SUPER. NATURAL. Nights where they invite you to visit every night until 11pm (with a few noted exceptions).
You will experience the conservatory in a whole new light, literally, as the glass installations and plants glow under special lighting setup just for this fantastical show.
Towards the end of our Phipps journey together he humbly said, “It’s cheating, it’s not even fair. I mimic the actual process.” Jason Gamrath, talent and grace.
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SUPER. NATURAL. runs through Sunday, November 5th
SUPER. NATURAL. Nights invites you over until 11pm from now until 11/5 (with the exception of a few noted dates).
Moral of the post, BUY TICKETS
