4 May 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPIRITS IN STONE 7th GALLERY BRINGS WORLD-CLASS ART TO NORTHSTAR
'Spirits' Rise on the Mountain July 7, 2007


Northstar, CA“(April 26, 2007) "Mountain breezes are whispering while jazz riffs waft through the Village at Northstar® in Truckee, CA, but those aren't the only sounds you'll hear." The newest opus of Spirits In Stone Galleries is being composed. If you listen closely, you will also hear the call of Africa, the soft tap of chisels on stone, the whispering of ancient spirits, and the sweet sound of Ethiopian children laughing. In addition to this aural intrigue, there is a new visual dimension: the sparkle of rare fine gemstones, the gleam of lustrous pearls, and the warmth of European artisan jewelry. These comprise the spirits that give the gallery its name, and they are about to rise up the mountain and sweep Northstar off its feet.

Spirits in Stone Galleries' foundation rests upon a strong collection of Shona stone sculpture, and its outer dimensions are complimented substantially in several exciting mediums hand-picked for their passion and authenticity. With painted, abstract poetry in vibrating colors by acclaimed Ethiopian-born painter, Wosene Kosrof, pearl- and gem-studded haute jewelry by master artisans like Gellner and Schoeffel, and ceramics and bronzes by Jamaican artist Gene Pearson, the gallery celebrates artists in relationship with the natural and ethereal worlds. "We promote the arts of ancient cultures and pageant the creative human spirit that exists in all people. Primarily focusing on Africa, we have now expanded to embrace Asia, Australia and the Americas-all cultures that have defined and expressed their spirituality in earth's basic elements through stone," explains co-curator, Laura Ponter.

"The most important art from Africa this century" “Newsweek

Art collectors and critics alike agree that Shona stone sculpture has an impressive pedigree and excites the senses. Many have already felt their power, through visiting a Spirits In Stone gallery in Northern California, attending one of their many large museum exhibits in Los Angeles, Glendale, Pasadena, or San Diego over the past 20 years, or through receiving a gift of sculpture from a seasoned Shona collector.

"I was touched by the simplicity of line and color," says Santa Barbara native Marilyn McLychok of a ?Mother and Child' sculpture given to her by her son. "It gives the piece a universality. I have been to Africa, so I was glad to know, too, that the art is represented with great respect, and the artists are thriving. I'm excited to finally visit one of the galleries and do some shopping myself!"

"If the perfection of art is measured purely by emotional expressive power, then this art is beyond perfection". “West Indian World

Transcending time and place, and strength of line and color, are the unifying elements of the many media represented in the Spirits In Stone collections. These elements are especially apparent in the paintings of Wosene Kosrof, an artist whose works on canvas and goatskin walk a fine line between abstraction, narration, and ancient graffiti, and whose sense of color is as vibrant and unusual as his background.

"Wosene links African and American culture, but in a different way, by blending written letters from the [4,000 year old] Amharic language of Ethiopia with Western-style gestural painting. The results are abstract, but richly coded, with fractured texts, personal symbols (the shape of his childhood home in 'Words of Memory') and a palette of jewel-like colors - reds, yellows and greens - associated with Ethiopian icon paintings."“New York Times, 2004

A crossing of cultures and materials can also be found in the jewelry of San Francisco master metalsmith, Sarah Graham. Awarded "Designer of the 21st Century" for two consecutive years, Graham stuns us with her contrast of materials like black and white diamonds, 18k yellow and white gold, blackened steel, and Tahitian pearls. Her unique wearable art reworks old world techniques in 21st century designs.

Other contemporary fine jewelry artists proudly represented by Spirits in Stone Gallery are German Bauhaus design masters Zobel, Gellner, and Bernd Wolf. These designers feature some of the best in sculptural jewelry today, and their creations' rich, exotic appearance is show-stopping.

"We operate with both passion and compassion, and people sense it as soon as they enter, even if they can't quite put their finger on it," says Galleries Director, Lori Austin. Austin has been with Spirits In Stone for nearly 16 years of its 25 year history. She has helped it grow from fundraisers featuring Shona sculpture to a network of 7 galleries featuring art from 5 continents. Instrumental in myriad ways, Austin has also seen the development of a humming web site, a sculpture garden in the Wine Country hosting special educational events, and a total of over $15,000,000 raised for non-profits through Spirits In Stone exhibits.

How did such a transformation happen? "You could say it all began in a shoe box," co-curator Laura Ponter likes to say, with a smile. Twenty-six years ago, on her and native Zimbabwean Tony Ponter's honeymoon to his homeland, Laura was moved by her first exposure to her new father-in-law's Shona sculpture vast collection. Their safari and game viewing plans were scrapped, and they hit the back roads searching for sculptors instead. They found amazing artists working in total obscurity, and in need of economic support. So they tucked a few prize works in shoe boxes for the flight home, never thinking that theirs would become the largest collection of African stone sculpture in the US, with over 800 artists represented in 25 years.

"The world's best unrecognized sculptors." “The Economist

"From the beginning we have paid the artists up front in cash for their works, and promised to come back for more," Anthony Ponter explains. Having grown up in Africa, he saw the opportunity not only to help artists, but also to open the eyes of Americans to this ancient culture. "We carry all the risk, so that the artists may focus solely on their art. In this way, we act as an educational and artistic conduit. And the response of people here in the States has always been tremendous."

Spirits in Stone's newest, and 7th gallery, joins a well-received family of representation in Sausalito, Claremont Resort & Spa, Sonoma, St. Helena and Healdsburg, and Santa Barbara. The response in Northstar promises to be tremendous as well, if the sound of the spirits is any indication! Grand Opening of the 7th gallery will be held on July 7, 2007. Artists appearing at the grand opening ceremonies and month-long celebration include Wosene Kosrof, contemporary painter collected by the Smithsonian, and Sarah Graham, award-winner for contemporary fine jewelry and Mona Taner, Oprah's personal diamond designer from New York.


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Please attend our Grand Opening for Private Collectors and Press at our new 7th Gallery in Northstar this July 7, 2007.

For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Lori Austin at 707.939.2399 X 19. You may also contact us in Truckee at northstar@spiritsinstone.com or by calling 877-374-6623.

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