Duane Reed Gallery Presents Jenny Pohlman & Sabrina Knowles

4729 McPherson Ave. St. Louis, MO 63108 www.duanereedgallery.com

© 2021 Duane Reed Gallery All Rights Reserved

Duane Reed Gallery

Jenny Pohlman & Sabrina Knowles Virtual Exhibition June 12 - July 17, 2021

In 2000, Pohlman and Knowles established the Pohlman Knowles High School Scholarship at Pratt Fine Arts Center and continue to sponsor the scholarship annually. They served as trustees for the Bellevue Arts Museum 2009 -2012. Pohlman served on the board of Pratt from 2015 to 2019 and served as chair from 2016 to 2018.

Throughout their careers, they have been recognized through numerous artistic residencies, fellowships and awards. Their work continues to be featured in major galleries and art expositions. It is included in many prominent private and institutional collections nationally.

In 2018, the duo celebrated their 25 years of collaboration.

Jenny Pohlman and Sabrina Knowles first met in 1989 while on staff at Pilchuck Glass School. Their collaborative work began in 1993. Inspired by the roles of women from various civilizations and throughout history, they have completed seven international journeys as students and seekers, informing their artistic narrative and mythologies.

“In tandem with our explorations of how to showcase the energy of women through photography in blown glass we engaged in myriad studies with birds and trees as subject. We’ve been displaying these lenses on our studio walls and tables, moving them around to meet space restrictions, culling them, shifting them, never losing interest in how we might introduce them to you.

Singular lenses on the wall did not feel complete, no matter the intricacy of our image. We needed a presentation device. The frame entered from across the studio, a frame made years ago to hold a sandblasted image of Sabrina’s sister on plate glass. We slipped the glass from the frame and placed the frame over a tree lens on the table. In resonated; we got to work.

Presented here is a collection of photographic images in blown glass lenses that we have interacted with for five years or more, now framed for viewing.

We have given much thought to the frame as a projection of what we want to remember, a tool for making history, herstory, ourstory. A frame can be a protector, a boundary, a container, a nest, an announcement, an incubator, an honoring, an inhibitor, a showcase, a prison, a privilege, a ball and chain. Some frame, some are framed, some defy the frame, court the frame, reside within the frame. Some fight the frame, find fame in the frame, wrestle the frame, are too large for the frame.

Some live in the frame; some die in the frame.

Much to come, but for now, with boxes and boxes of memories to remember, we have chosen these to frame for you.”

- Jenny Pohlman & Sabrina Knowles, June 2021

“Eye”, 2021 original image, screen-printed kiln-fired enamels, blown, sandblasted, mirrored glass, steel with patina & paint 15” x 13.5” x 6”

“Black Eye”, 2021 original image, screen-printed kiln-fired enamels, blown, sandblasted, mirrored glass, steel with patina & paint 19.75” x 17” x 6”

“Santa Fe Cottonwood”, 2015-2021 original image, screen-printed kiln-fired enamels, blown, sandblasted, sand-carved mirrored glass, steel with patina 22.5” x 22.5” x 3.5”

“Crow with Cottonwood”, 2015-2021 original image, screen-printed kiln-fired enamels, blown, sculpted, sandblasted glass, steel with patina 26” x 14.5” x 4.5”

“Geode with Traveler”, 2021 original image, screen-printed kiln-fired enamels, blown, polished glass, steel with patina 11.5” x 11.5” x 4.25”

“Geode with Benches”, 2021 original image, screen-printed kiln-fired enamels, blown, polished glass, steel with patina 10” x 10” x 4.5”

“Cottonwood Tree Cup”, 2021 original image, screen-printed kiln-fired enamels, blown, sandblasted, mirrored glass, steel with patina & paint 6.75” x 6.75” x 4.5”

“Benches Tree Cup”, 2021 original image, screen-printed kiln-fired enamels, blown, sandblasted, mirrored glass, steel with patina & paint 8.5” x 8.5” x 4.5”

“Woman with Birds”, 2021 original image, screen-printed kiln-fired enamels, blown, sandblasted, mirrored glass, steel with patina & paint 12” x 12.25” x 2.75”

“Moon Tree”, 2021 original image, screen-printed kiln-fired enamels, blown, sandblasted, mirrored glass, steel with patina 8” x 8” x 2”

“Tree with Bench”, 2021 original image, screen-printed kiln-fired enamels, blown, sandblasted, mirrored glass, steel with patina & paint 13.5” x 14” x 4.25”

“Two Birds”, 2021 original image, screen-printed kiln-fired enamels, blown, sandblasted glass, steel with patina & paint 13.25” x 13.5” x 4”