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"My artwork centers around the biophilia hypothesis, the notion that humans possess an innate tendency to seek connection with nature. From a very young age, I have always been drawn to the natural world, completely awestruck by its sheer beauty. I am particularly intrigued by the repetition of patterns found in nature. For me, these patterns frequently possess a lyrical or rhythmic quality and these rhythms have a flow. I seek to translate these patterns and their flow into sculptural compositions of varying scale and scope. I choose to create primarily in glass because the molten material has a fluidity that allows for endless permutations in sculpting and it has an incredible capacity to refract and transmit light, unlike any other material. I abstract my sculptural forms into their most fundamental components so that emphasis is placed on the gesture of movement and, by doing so, highlighting the lyrical nature of repetition in my compositions."
Lea de Wit enjoys creating sculptural installations that delight and inspire. She receives much of her inspiration from the repetition of patterns and color combinations found in nature and seeks to translate that beauty into glass. She is most noted for designing dynamic, hand-blown glass, sculptural wall compositions with recurring themes of flora and fauna. In recent years, she has also combined her glass art with metal to realize her designs in sculptural works that beautifully integrate into the outdoor landscape.
She has studied with some of the world’s most esteemed glass masters in Murano, at Pilchuck Glass School, at the Corning Museum of Glass, and at Red Deer College. A born and raised Californian, she currently works out of her own glassblowing studio nestled in the majestic redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
She has been commissioned to create original works of art for several major public, commercial, and private collections worldwide including Kaiser Permanente, Marriott, California Bank & Trust, Novartis, the New York Proton Center, Sutter Health, Realty Income, and Keller & Heckman LLP to name a few. She is currently working on a large commission for a Santa Cruz County library in California that will feature an installation of 200 hand-blown glass wall-mounted and suspended sculptures as well as a series of 8 outdoor sculptural elements to be installed in late 2019 / early 2020.
Education
2012 Pilchuck Glass School, Dick Weiss, Cappy Thomson, Walt Lieberman, Fritz Dreisbach, Amy Rueffert, & Paul Mari- oni, Stanwood, WA
2010 Eugene Glass School, Pino Signoretto, Eugene, OR
2007 Penland School of Crafts, Mary Van Cline, Penland, NC
2006 Haystack Mountain School of Arts & Crafts, Karen Willenbrink-Johnsen, Deer Isle, ME,
Corning Museum of Glass Studio (Davide Salvadore 05; Seaman 05; Silkwood 04),
2005 Corning, NY Red Deer College, Ed Schmid, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
University of California, San Diego, Craft Center, La Jolla, CA
2004 Palomar College, Gary Cohen, San Marcos, CA
Pacific Northwest College of Art, John Morris, Portland, OR
Scuola del Vetro, Abate Zanetti, Elio Quarisa, Murano, Italy
1993 BS Business Administration & Minor in Studio Art, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Selected Solo and Group Exhibitions
2017 “Il Percorso di Vetro - The Glass Path” Glass Art Society Glass Fashion Show, Italy
2016 “Art in the Arboretum: Color” University of California, Santa Cruz, CA,
2016 Sculpture Is”, Pajaro Valley Arts Council, Watsonville, CA
2015 “Abstract”, Scott’s Valley Public Library, Scotts Valley, CA
2014 “Off the Wall”, Santa Cruz County Bank Arts, Santa Cruz, Capitola, Watsonville, CA, 2013 “Luminescence: Works in Glass”, Pajaro Valley Arts Council, Watsonville, CA
2012 Glass, Dallas, TX Oceanside Museum of Art Artist Alliance Exhibit, Oceanside Art Gallery, Carlsbad, CA
2011 San Diego Art Institute/ Combined Organizations for Visual Arts Invitational, San Diego, CA
“H2O: The Art of Conservation”, Conservation Garden, Cuyamaca College, El Cajon,
“Migration” C. Martino + Lea de Wit, Project X Art Gallery, Solana Beach, CA
Public and Corporate Collections
New York Proton Center, New York, NY
Kaiser Permanente, Roseville, CA & Ontario, CA
Marriott, Irvine, CA
Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Santa Cruz, CA
Imbert Cancer Center, Bay Shore, NY
John Muir Medical Center, Walnut Creek, CA
Realty Income, Del Mar, CA
Keller & Heckman LLP, Washington, D.C.
California Bank & Trust, Pasadena, CA
Advocate Health Care Medical Center, Oak Lawn, IL
Viejas Casino & Resort, Alpine, CA
Sharp Rees-Steally, San Diego, CA
Novartis Corporation, La Jolla, CA
Northwestern Medicine, Lake Forest, IL
Dolan Family Health Center, Greenlawn, NY
City of Vista Civic Center, Vista, CA
Westwood Medical Center – The Muller Company, Westwood, CA
Mount Carmel East, Columbus, OH
Rady Children’s Hospital, Patient Care Pavilion, San Diego, CA
Delbert Day Cancer Center at Phelps Regional Medical Center, Rolla, MO Running Creek Casino, Upper Lake, CA
Professional Hospital Supply, Inc., Temecula, CA
Sierra Azul Nursery & Gardens, Watsonville, CA
Rush-Copley Medical Center, Aurora, IL
Destination Hotels & Resorts, Inc., L’Auberge Hotel, Kitchen 1540, Del Mar, CA Coronado Shores Condominiums, Coronado, CA
Aveda Beverly Center, Beverly Hills, CA & Fashion Valley, San Diego, CA Cancer Center at Sharp Grossmont, La Mesa, CA
Walnut Village, A Front Porch Community, Anaheim, CA
Mille Feuille, San Diego, CA
Vistage International, Del Mar, CA
Press & Publications
2017 Press Banner/ Golden State Newspapers
Fallbrook & Bonsall Village News
2016 The Californian
Santa Cruz Sentinel
2014 Capitola /Soquel Times
Register-Pajaronian
2013 San Diego Union Tribune
2012 Ranch & Coast Magazine
2011 San Diego City Beat
D Magazine, Front Row
2009 Westways Magazine
2008 Riviera Magazine
National Public Radio
2007 San Diego Home & Garden
LEA DE WIT
