Upper Lake >> When Max Butler opened the Sa-Sam Gallery in Upper Lake last August, he envisioned a space where artists could present high-caliber work with a message. He saw the gallery as a crossroads of ideas, a place for the mingling of artistic minds, hence the name Sa-Sam, a Tibetan word meaning crossroads. He chose the motto “Beauty, Love and Freedom,” and all work hanging in the gallery needed to feature at least one of those themes.
So the gallery’s summer show, titled Celebrating the Goddess, is more than fitting for the space. Inspired by a recent uptick in conversations surrounding the environment, Butler felt that the Mother Goddess, the deity of vegetation and all life, was one of the most ancient examples of ecology. He thought the responses to that theme would be fascinating.
Celebrating the Goddess is about more than just the environment, though. The show also focuses on “love and respect of the feminine principle,” said Butler. Through the artwork, he hopes to present the idea that in order to create positive change in the world, people need to understand the feminine aspect of society. “Another reason for having a show was to stimulate this kind of thinking,” he added.
A number of artists responded to Butler’s call for work. He didn’t have any requirements regarding materials or media and there were only two criteria: the work had to have a feminine connection and a spiritual quality. “The whole point of the gallery is basically to be a spiritual place where people can show spiritual art,” Butler said, “art that can heal.”
He was both surprised and impressed by the quality of work submitted. In the end, he only rejected one piece. Celebrating the Goddess features diverse work. There are paintings, a sizable paper mache sculpture, gourd artwork and a glass-blown piece etched with figures of a goddess in prayer. The artists are Butler, Eileen Dreizin, Sherry Harris, Carolyn Hawley, Mark Henson, Robert Herreshoff, Linda Kelly, Pinky Mitchell, Michelle Monreal, Susan Spear Yeagan, Xian Yeagan and Rojax.
Although things at Sa-Sam Gallery have been moving at a steady pace, they did slow down during the winter. Bulter felt a themed group show would be the perfect thing to kick off the summer season. He offered first and second place cash prizes as an enticement for artists to enter work in the show and also as a way to support local artists. “I would like the gallery to be really a charity for artists,” said Butler.
He’s serious about fostering culture in Upper Lake and growing the town, so much so that he doesn’t take any commission if artists make a sale through Sa-Sam Gallery. The only thing he collects is the sales tax. For Celebrating the Goddess, he didn’t even require a small entrance fee.
Butler is more concerned about enriching Upper Lake than making a profit. “I want it to be a nice cultural place,” he said. “I want it to be relevant.”
There will be an opening celebration for Celebrating the Goddess at Sa-Sam Gallery tomorrow from 1-5 p.m. The show runs until August 21. The gallery is located at 9495 Main St. in Upper Lake.
Jennifer Gruenke can be reached at 900-2019.
