Glass Cathedrals

Opening Reception Thursday, Ocotber 11 6-8pm
On view through October 31

Artist Statement:
Glass Cathedrals are an ongoing series of shadowbox wall sculptures, containing brilliant tiny worlds inhabited by miniature people. There is something about the relative scale of the tiny people inhabiting these boxes, that makes their pursuits by turns heroic, tragic, humorous, wistful – a celebration of the human condition.

Using a combination of words, adapted miniature figurines (that are often customized to look like particular individuals who are commissiong the work), and the minimalist, dramatic and often sparkling space within the shadowbox, each artwork makes their own small statement on our complicated lives.

About Lisa Swerling:
Lisa Swerling began creating her Glass Cathedral shadow box series in London in 2006.

Encouraged in her philosophical musings as an undergraduate at Oxford University, Lisa was determined to forge a path in the real world armed only with a headful of mildly eccentric thoughts, a handful of beloved glitter, and an inclination to go with the flow.

Somewhere along the way (between a year living in the Indian Ocean Seychelles islands, months spent traveling through the bush of Southern Africa, and a whole lot of lovely days hanging out in London), the concept of Glass Cathedrals was born.

Today, six years on, there are more than fifty Glass Cathedrals artworks in the series. Lisa is represented by galleries in London, New York and Lisbon and orders for the treasured artworks come from all over the world. She now lives with her family in San Anselmo, Marin, having moved there from London in 2010.

About Rare Device:
Rare Device is a store and gallery that features functional experiments and original ideas in art, design, craft and fabrication. Owner Giselle Gyalzen constantly seeks out objects that are beautiful, evocative, well constructed and thoughtful. We are pleased to bring to our San Francisco store an ever-growing roster of local, national and international artists and designers for a truly "rare" experience.

Rare Device (raredevice.net) is located at 600 Divisadero Street, at the corner of Hayes. Store/gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday noon to 8pm, Saturday 11am to 7pm and Sunday 11am to 6 pm.

For more information contact: Giselle Gyalzen at info@raredevice.net or 415-863-3969