Raven Skyriver

Brief Bio

            Born 1982, Raven skyriver (Tlingit) was raised in the San Juan Islands. Growing up connected to the land, and its surrounding waters, and living in a creative household where carvers came to learn Northwest Coast style carving and design helped push him towards an artistic path.

            At the age of 16 Raven was introduced to glass by family friend, and mentor Lark Dalton, and was immediately captivated by the medium. Exploring every opportunity to work in glass led to Raven being invited to work with Karen Willenbrink-Johnsen for the William Morris team in 2003. This was his introduction to sculptural glass, and where building a vocabulary for narrative in his work began. In 2018 Raven returned to the island where he was born and he and his wife Kelly O’Dell constructed a home studio. where they could create their art.

        Raven continues his artistic practice utilizing close observation of his sculptural subjects to create an ongoing personal dialogue. This inner conversation touches on the celebration of biodiversity, his understanding of his heritage, the importance of Native species, the gifts those beings bring to their communities, and the delicate balance that sustains our collective existence.

 

Artist Statement

            I was raised near the sea, and in a family that valued and practiced artistic pursuits from as young as I can remember. Some of my most vivid memories as a child were smelling the fresh cedar chips that where being removed by master carvers blades as they sculpted beautifully elegant forms. The most excitement I have experienced in my life, was the first salmon I ever landed, the times I saw Sea Lions a paddles length from my boat, and seeing a humpback whale feeding on smelt.

     When I was introduced to glass as a junior in high school I was immediately captivated by the mesmerizing, alchemic, fluid nature of the material. From that day forward I have dedicated myself to honing my craft and perfecting my technique.

      I draw from my experiences as a child and my continued fascination with the natural world to inform the work I make today. My goal is to capture the fluidity of an animal in motion. Using the liquid glass to portray a dynamic moment in time. I attempt to imbue the subject with a hint of life and capture the essence of the creatures I depict. I want my work to speak to the viewers own understanding of the wild, and their place in it, and to instill a sense of the delicate balance that is our existence.

 

 Personal History 

1982 Born on Lopez Island, Washington

1999 Apprentice to Lark Dalton, Olive Glass, Lopez, WA

 2001 Graduated High School, built glass studio at home, began assisting

          Karen Willenbrink-Johnsen at Pilchuck, Stanwood, WA

 2003 Joined the William Morris Team at Pilchuck Glass School Studio, Stanwood, WA

 2008 Traveled to Brazil to translate for and assist Lino Tagliapietra’s team at the glass factory  Ca'doro

Selected Exhibitions

2021 Museum of American Indian Arts, and Culture Santa Fe New Mexico. Clearly indigenous exhibition

2020 Le Stanze Del vetro, Venice Italy, Venice and American Studio Glass exhibition.

2019 San juan island museum of art Deep dive group exhibition San Juan Island wa

2017 Museum of Northwest Art “Submerge” Solo exhibit La Conner WA

2017 Museum of Glass Tacoma “Into the deep” Group show Tacoma WA

2017 Young Glass 2017, Ebeltoft Glass Museum Ebeltoft Denmark

2016 Nostetangen Norsk Glass Museum solo exhibition, Hoksund Norway

2015 Islands Museum of Art, group exhibition, Friday harbor WA

2015 Maryhill Museum of Art, Goldendale WA

2013 Oceans exhibition, Ebeltoft Museum of  Glass, Ebeltoft Denmark