Glass Coast Weekend: Stephenie Trenchard

"Coated Women on the Precipice" by Stephanie Trenchard
(three of five women) 

I've never been particularly tempted to go to Habatat Gallery's Glass Coast Weekend (GCW). Sure, glass art is pretty amazing. But I see a fair amount of works made from glass every year with my visits to Imagine Museum, Duncan McClellan's studio and the Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion at the Ringling. Could the weekend's offerings really be that special?  The answer is a resounding yes. 

Just to be clear, I didn't register for this year's event. Instead, I dipped a toe in the water by visiting the GCW pop-up gallery. Whoa, Nelly. Stephanie Trenchard's colorful creations caught my eye the moment I entered the gallery. Somehow I resisted the urge to run right over to them. (My clumsiness and a room full of glass does not make for the best combination.)

I was admiring "Coated Women on the Precipice" when a woman walked up and said, "Hi, I'm Stephanie." What???!!!  Yes, part of what makes GCW so special is that many of the artists attend. It was so interesting to talk with her about her work. She asked whether I would rather hear about the process or the storytelling. Storytelling, please! 

"Portrait of Marisol Escobar" (three of four stacked cubes)  

As you can see, Trenchard's unique work features painted figures embedded in glass. Her focus is women, both contemporary and historic. In an interview she noted that women are often encased within societal norms. In their own way, the figures in her sculptures are pushing back against those boundaries. 

Trenchard often creates work inspired by a particular artist. Sometimes her piece includes a portrait of the artist; in others, she recreates the artist's work. In "Portrait of Marisol Escobar," Trenchard pays homage to the 1960s pop artist known for her colorful boxy figures.  While Marisol's name didn't immediately ring any bells, a quick Google search revealed that I'd admired one of her most famous works during a visit to the Whitney Museum -- "Women and Dog." (Click here to see Marisol's sculpture.) In Trenchard's work, Marisol gazes at the viewer from her perch at the top of the sculpture. The other boxes recreate some of Marisol's art, including the dog from "Women and Dog." I love it.  

"Couplet Poem" 

Trenchard's "Couplet Poem" was also on display. As shown here, the painted figures look out at the viewer. Their profiles show them surveying the world from different perspectives. They lean slightly away from each other as if emphasizing their separateness. But the feelings of this couple can change just as our own emotions do. The two pieces of this work can be rearranged so that the couple is kissing. In that configuration, they become one. It's rather brilliant. 

Trenchard started her artistic journey as a painter and textile designer. That background is evident in her work. But the painting of her figures is just one part of the process. To learn more, click here to watch a video in which Trenchard talks about the creation of "Coated Women on the Precipice." It's a treat to see inside her studio as she walks the viewer through each stage of the creative process. And to see more of Trenchard's work, click here. I particularly like her "Tertiary Colors" with its tributes to Alice Neel, Florine Stettheimer and Elaine de Kooning. 

While I could have left the GCW pop-up gallery happy just having seen Trenchard's work, the glass art of many other wonderful artists was also showcased. Stay tuned for some of those creations.