Snapshot: “Nature Personified” Exhibit

“Gaia in Bloom” by glass artist Jon Larsen, currently on display at The Arts Center In Orange. (Photo Credit: Andra Landi)

A central Virginia glass artist’s work exploring nature and the human spirit is currently on display at The Arts Center In Orange.

The center held an opening reception for “Nature Personified” by Jon Larsen on Thursday, March 2. The exhibit will remain open through April 15 and features Larsen’s colorful, whimsical glass and multimedia sculptures.

Larsen, who resides in Madison, holds a degree in interdisciplinary art from Towson University in Maryland. He discovered his love for glass as an artistic medium while taking a course in windowmaking.

Larsen’s work examines themes of nature, life cycles and resilience, and he often combines his glasswork with natural media like rough-hewn wood and stone. His recent sculptures often feature handmade glass masks, which Larsen explained were inspired by the death masks used from the time of the ancient Egyptians until as recently as the 1600s.

Larsen said that because the masks feature the human form, they’re an effective way of making the art and its underlying themes relatable to an audience.

“I like the form of the mask itself — it stands out,” Larsen said. “We can all easily recognize ourselves.”

Larsen’s next partnership with The Arts Center will be a summer intensive in making mosaics for youth ages 12 – 17, to be held June 6 – 8. Registration is $80 and includes supplies.

To learn more about the artist, visit www.madglazier.com. To view upcoming programs and exhibits at The Arts Center In Orange, visit https://www.artscenterinorange.com. Exhibits are free to the public and can be viewed anytime during business hours Monday through Saturday.