Artist of the Month
May 2020
Evan Kolker
Evan Kolker is best known for his sculpture series depicting various species of Nepenthes – or pitcher plants. “Not only are they morphologically different from most other plant life, but their survival strategies seem to flip our conception of how the food chain is structured, further emphasizing the ingenuity and unpredictability of Mother Nature,” he states about these carnivorous plants. Evan is represented by Montague Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
Click on each photo to the right for a full picture.
Chrysalis, 2018; 22 x 20 x 5 inches; glass, steel, butterfly flocking
Chrysalis, 2018, detail
My Darlings, 2020; 16 x 7 x 5 inches; glass and bronze
Antidote, 2019; 39 x 10 x 10 inches; glass, steel, flocking
The Duel, 2019; 16 x 10 x 20 inches; glass, steel, bronze, flocking, oils
Typically Epiphytic, 2019; 30 x 20 x 16 inches; glass, steel, silver, flocking
Typically Epiphytic, 2019, detail
Evan Kolker
Artist Statement:
I have had a lifelong fascination with the biodiversity of our planet, from the most basic microbes to the great beasts of land and sea. This started with early childhood memories of flipping over loose stones and logs in the woods to discover bustling cities of insects, spiders, snakes, and salamanders: a miniature metropolis of different forms of life from our own, familiar yet alien at the same time.
There exists in all of us a rich narrative, an ever-flowing story about our sense of place in Mother Nature and the greater universe. We project meaning and character on the shapes of the cosmos, into the crevices and cracks of the earth. We anthropomorphize and empathize with the creatures we encounter and devour. There is ancient primal wisdom inherent in all the forms of nature, and the more you peel back the petals the more intricacy you discover.
About Evan Kolker
Evan Kolker is a sculptor working primarily in glass and metals, originally from Baltimore, Maryland, and currently based in Oakland, California. Working with glass for more than 20 years, the majority of his artworks are created using glassblowing and hot sculpting techniques, while his knowledge of sculpting metal contributes to his detailed and life-like sculptures. His Nepenthes plant pieces take a great deal of time to create, ranging from a few hours to blow and sculpt each flower, and over 100 hours to forge and fabricate the metal. His work depicting these carnivorous plants often incorporate delightful surprises of other lifeforms such as insects and spiders. Evan's sculptures have been exhibited across the U.S. and abroad in galleries and museums.
Influenced early on in his career by the famous German lampworking team, father and son Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka, Evan is fascinated with creating forms inspired by nature utilizing various glass sculpting techniques.
Evan also creates a wide variety of custom work as the result of detailed planning, design, and vision. Each project is carefully crafted to the clients’ specifications and needs, from custom lighting, chandeliers, and restoration, to terrariums and jewelry displays for New York Fashion Week. Evan creates custom pieces that help clients to envision, enhance, and highlight their personal and professional ideas. He has had the pleasure of working with artists and designers from around the world and had his hand in products featured in Oprah Magazine, Dwell, American Craft, and New York Fashion Week.
Click here for an artist's resume.
Acknowledgment of Gallery:
We are grateful to Montague Gallery, San Francisco, California, for providing the Artist of the Month.
The Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to further the development and appreciation of art made from glass.
The Alliance informs collectors, critics and curators by encouraging and supporting museum exhibitions, university glass departments and specialized teaching programs, regional collector groups, visits to private collections, and public seminars.
