| Jerry Ross Barrish, born in San Francisco in 1939, moved to Pacifica in the early 1980's and started to pick up plastic "garbage" from the beach by his home. He began to see images in the forms of the found objects that led him to find his unique voice by creating sculptures out of it. The assemblage/constructions largely made from this undervalued resource, capture gesture, form and movement, bringing life to the refuse that is the essence of Barrish's art. Barrish notes that "Sometimes I set out to make an image and actually search for the pieces to complete the idea, but more often it's the found object that dictates what I'm going to do."Though a preconceived vision offers a structured direction, he further notes "inspiration and freedom come from letting this discarded stuff provide the image itself."
Barrish's work grows from his innate ability as a storyteller, a talent further developed through time spent at the San Francisco Art Institute where he earned his BFA (1974) and MFA (1976) in filmmaking. His pieces evoke both emotion and wonder.
In Dancing Queen, (free standing, 68" x 24" x 19") we feel the tender embrace of the couple and sense movement through the slight bend in legs preparing for a "dip". And, then find astonishment that this moment of intimacy has been made from marine floats, wiffle balls, and household cleaning parts.
The Statues of Liberty Series, (currently 12 sculptures) brings at this critical juncture in time, works infrequently shown that take us through historical markers from the beginning of the country, through to such events as the Iraq War and the cross of injustice spreading through the Supreme Court, while maintaining hope through liberty reborn and the torch being passed to young Liberty. In a time of societal upheaval, Chamuel, (hanging installation, 55" x 31" x 28") an archangel known as the angel of love, peace and relationships, helps us to find compassion, resolve conflicts, and find peace and harmony.
In an interview with art writer, editor and publisher Richard Whittaker, Barrish recollected his initial days discovering the value in a material that others have unceremoniously dumped or cast off. Discovering an orange emergency road cone on the beach, he began to attach pieces of stuff to it and made a Christmas tree. He noted, I quote Michelangelo; when he made Moses he said, "I made you so wonderful, why don't you speak to me?" Well, this plastic stuff was speaking to me." And it continues to do so.
Jerry Ross Barrish's works are held in numerous institutional collections, including the Crocker Art Museum, The Oakland Museum of California, San Jose Museum of Art, de Saisset Museum, di Rosa Preserve; Museum of Art and History Santa Cruz, Triton Museum of Art, South Dakota Art Museum, University of Arizona Memorial Student Union, University of California Davis and University of California Santa Cruz. In addition to sculptural work included in the Berkeley Art Museum, his films were also a recent acquisition by the Pacific Film Archive also at the University of California Berkeley.
Everyday Inspiration will conclude with a program on Sunday, February 8, beginning at 3:30 pm when the artist and curator Alida Bray will be together in conversation, followed with time for attendees to ask questions about Barrish's work and medium.
This exhibition is one of several ways in the months ahead that Barrish will be recognized for his over two decades of volunteer service to Sanchez Art Center where he has been Artistic Director since 2004. Bringing luminaries of the SF Bay Area art world to Pacifica/San Mateo County coast including Hung Liu, Dewey Crumpler, Wanxin Zhang, Gary Bukovnik, San Perry and Gale Antokal to name just a few, has been a passion project for Barrish. His wide network and generosity has also connected curators with Sanchez Art Center, including Philip Linhares and Susan Hillhouse Leask, who, respectively, brought Mike Henderson and Thomas Campbell to Sanchez, along with so many more established, mid-career and emerging artists and curators over the past twenty years. To acknowledge the commitment and dedication to Sanchez Art Center, Jerry Ross Barrish has been named the center's Artistic Director Emeritus.
Sanchez Art Center is located at 1220 Linda Mar Blvd in Pacifica, about a mile east of Highway 1. Following opening night, the galleries are open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 1–5 pm, and by appointment, through Feb 8.
The opening, talks, and gallery visits are free as part of the Center's focus on "Creating Community through Art".
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