From earliest childhood, sitting around the dinner table discussing Astronomy and the other sciences with my family, I have seen Outer Space as the illustration of how there are no limits to possibilities. Yes, Flash Gordon, Star Trek, and even the Jetsons played a part, too. As I began creating sculptural objects, my mind naturally turned to the “off world”…resulting in the creation of my first ray guns (rayguns) and rocket ships (rocketships). Happily, one of the rocket ships–after being entered in the NASA/Etsy Contest for artwork inspired by Outer Space–made it to the finals of the competition and has now joined the NASA collection! How cool is that?
Rocket Ship 1: The Sky’s No Limit
Design and beadwork by Leslie B. Grigsby
Woodworking and assembly by Lindsay Grigsby
Glass beads, thread, wood, rock crystal (calcite dal’nagorsk, Russia)
H.: 9 1/2″
Exhibited (kindly lent by the owner): Loan exhibition. Private Thoughts: Beadwork Sculpture by Leslie Grigsby for the New York Ceramics & Glass Fair, NYC (January 18 [preview] through 22, 2017).
Exhibited: (2006-07) Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia PA; (2006, 2007) SOFA (Chicago)
Private collection, Delaware
Rocket Ship 2: Re-Entry (or Monday)
Design and beadwork by Leslie B. Grigsby
Woodworking and assembly by Lindsay Grigsby
Glass beads, thread, wood
H.: 12″
Competition: NASA & Etsy 2010-11 Space Craft Contest: Finalist, 3D artwork
NASA (National Aeronautics & Space Administration) Collection
Eclipse Teapot
Design, beadwork (peyote stitch) and painting by Leslie B. Grigsby
Woodwork and gilding by Lindsay Grigsby
Glass seed beads, thread, wood, acrylic paint, gilding
H.: 7 ½”; L.: 10 ¾”; W.: 3 3/8”
Created for: 4th Annual Teapots! Invitational, Morgan Contemporary Glass Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA. (April-June 2010)
Published: Kurt Shaw’s “Artists Create Tempests in Teapots Exhibit” for online TRIB LIVE: A&E (Pittsburgh Tribune Review, April 25, 2010, see http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/ae/s_677691.html); “Seen: Pittsburgh Gallery Overflows with Teapots” for online GLASS Quarterly Hotsheet (April 2010, see http://blog.glassquarterly.com/2010/04/13/seen-pittsburgh-gallery-overflows-with-teapots/.)
Private collection, Pennsylvania
Ray Gun, No. 1
Design and beadwork by Leslie B. Grigsby
Woodworking by Lindsay Grigsby
Glass beads, thread, wood
L.: 7″
Exhibited (kindly lent by the owner): Loan exhibition. Private Thoughts: Beadwork Sculpture by Leslie Grigsby for the New York Ceramics & Glass Fair, NYC (January 18 [preview] through 22, 2017).
Exhibited: Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia PA; SOFA (Chicago)
Private Collection, Arizona
Ray Gun, No. 2
Beadwork by Leslie B. Grigsby
Woodworking and form design by Lindsay & Iain Grigsby
Glass beads, wood, thread
L.: 7”
Exhibited: (2006) Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia PA; (2006) SOFA (Chicago)
Private Collection
Ray Gun, No. 3
Beadwork by Leslie B. Grigsby
Woodworking and form design by Lindsay Grigsby
Glass beads, wood, thread
L.: 8 1/4”
Private Collection
Published: Suzanne Golden Presents: 35 Artists Innovate with Beads, by Lark Books (Sterling Publishing, NYC), April 2013, p. 96.
Ray Gun, No. 4
Beadwork by Leslie B. Grigsby
Woodworking and form design by Lindsay Grigsby
Glass beads, wood, thread
L.: approx. 7”
Exhibited: (2010) Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia, PA
Published: “The Intersection of Love and Art” by Lisa Fieldman, West Chester & Chadds Ford Life (Spring/Summer 2016, pp. 76-80), p. 79.
Private collection
Ray Gun, No. 5
Beadwork by Leslie B. Grigsby
Woodworking and form design by Lindsay Grigsby
Glass beads, wood, thread
L.: approx. 10”
Exhibited: Loan exhibition. Private Thoughts: Beadwork Sculpture by Leslie Grigsby for the New York Ceramics & Glass Fair, NYC (January 18 [preview] through 22, 2017); 9th International Fiber Biennial (March 7 – April 26, 2014) at Snyderman Works Galleries, Philadelphia
Private collection, Philadelphia, PA
Over the Moon Necklace
Design and beadwork by Leslie B. Grigsby
Glass beads, thread, wood, rubber, twisted wire
Overall length: 14″. Beadwork panel: 4 3/8″ X 3 1/2″
Available for Purchase
You would really enjoy my friend Gwynn Popovac’s beaded head dresses! Just google Gwynn Popovac.com and you will find her fabulous work! You will truly enjoy the intense beauty of these works of art. They have been displayed many places, including the Phoenix Museum of art. I am hoping that we will one day day have a showing of her art! Amazing lady as well!
Hello Leslie,
Your amazing outer space pieces would be a wonderful addition to WonderBox, a collection of art + curiosities in our fine art gallery, J GO Gallery. I wanted to find a good contact point for you, but am hoping you’ll get this and respond. I look forward to hearing back.
Thanks,
Jude Grenney
Co-Owner, J GO Gallery