About Garth
Bio
I grew up in the burbs of Portland Oregon
There was a creek in the back yard.
Painted my first painting when I was 13 after seeing my brother paint
He’s a filmmaker now.
In high school I was lucky and got kicked out of 2nd year algebra. I was ordered to the art room where I met a great art teacher who encouraged me.
At the same time I also had an English teacher who would read my attempts at prose and thought I had some talent.
I got interested in stained glass when I was a freshman in college
Switched to art from English – left college after two years.
Stumbled into glass blowing at Portland State, which I loved but wasn’t good at
And I didn’t have a thing to say with it.
Went back to flat glass. Took a class from a German designer
And immediately did the opposite of his teachings, he was too strong.
Though I did like the way he responded to architecture.
He cared and really worked on his designs.
In 1975 the Oregon art commission smiled on me and I got to make a leaded window for a food stamp office. Two cartoon weight lifters. I really liked getting paid up front plus I had to design a steel frame for the thing which forced me to work with welders.
I never could have been a gallery artist. But doing something different all the time suited my learning style – which was the “couldn’t sit still in class” style.
I’ve been working in metal mostly for the past 25 years. Art has been my only job since 1980. I have work in 10 states and have finished over 50 public art projects.
Commission Work
Work in Metal | ||
Pierce County Courts Building | Tacoma, Washington | 2007 |
West Sound Academy | Poulsbo, Washington | 2007 |
Mt Vernon High School | Mt. Vernon, Washington | 2006 |
S Sound Community College | Olympia, Washington | 2005 |
King Co Housing | Kent, Washington | 2004 |
Memorial John Hay School | Seattle, Washington | 2000 |
Green Hill School Prison | Chehalis, Washington | 2000 |
New Jersey Transit | Hoboken, New Jersey | 2000 |
Redmond Community Center | Redmond, Washington | 2000 |
Anoka Treatment Center | Anoka, Minnesota | 1999 |
Charnelton Parking Exterior | Eugene, Oregon | 1999 |
E Portland Community Center | Portland, Oregon | 1998 |
Franklin Elementary | Tacoma, Washington | 1997 |
Children’s Services | Pensacola, Florida | 1997 |
Humbolt Library | Chicago, Illinois | 1997 |
U of O Student Housing | Eugene, Oregon | 1997 |
HazMat Station | Kansas, City Missouri | 1996 |
Animal Science Building W S U | Pullman,Washington | 1997 |
Evergreen Medical Center | Kirkland, Washington | 1995 |
Main St Renovation | Auburn, Washington | 1995 |
Children’s Theater | Seattle, Washington | 1994 |
Airway Prison Visiting Center | Spokane, Washington | 1994 |
King County Health Clinic | Federal Way, Washington | 1993 |
Community Center | Maple Valley, Washington | 1993 |
Dunlap St Renovation | Phoenix, Arizona | 1990 |
Nordstrom Lloyd Center | Portland, Oregon | 1990 |
Nordstrom Downtown | Portland, Oregon | 1990 |
Transit Station Gate | Seattle, Washington | 1990 |
Tree Grate Seattle Metro | Seattle, Washington | 1989 |
Seattle Water Dept | Seattle, Washington | 1986 |
All Saints School | Portland, Oregon | 1983 |
Enameled Steel | ||
King County Library | Bellevue, Washington | 1993 |
Tabor Middle School | Portland, Oregon | 1991 |
Oregon DOT One panel | Salem, Oregon | 1989 |
Anchorage Dog Pound | Anchorage, Alaska | 1988 |
Juvenile Court | Portland, Oregon | 1987 |
Turnagain Elementary | Anchorage, Alaska | 1985 |
Leaded Glass | ||
King County Housing | Kent, Washington | 2004 |
Barker Residence | Bainbridge, Washington | 2002 |
Green Hill School | Chehalis Washington | 2000 |
Pierce County Library | Eatonville, Washington | 1990 |
East Austin Senior Center | Austin, Texas | 1988 |
U of Alaska | Fairbanks, Alaska | 1985 |
Pope Elementary School | Puyallup, Washington | 1984 |
U of O Student Union | Eugene, Oregon | 1982 |
Tillamook County Hospital | Tillamook, Oregon | 1982 |
Bess Kaiser Hospital | Portland, Oregon | 1981 |
Kaiser Clinic | Portland, Oregon | 1980 |
Food Stamp Office | Eugene, Oregon | 1979 |
Exhibitions | ||
Bainbridge Arts &Crafts, Works in Stone | Bainbridge, Washington | 2005 |
The Art of Golf, Safeco | Seattle, Washington | 1996 |
German Tour, US Printmakers | Germany | 1993 |
Art in Architecture, Focus on Fire | Seattle, Washington | 1889 |
Govett-Brewster Gallery | New Zealand | 1983 |
Portland Art Museum, Oregon Biennial | Portland, Oregon | 1983 |
Tucson Museum, Leaded Glass | Tucson, Arizona | 1978 |
University of Texas, Prints | San Antonio, Texas | 1985 |
Renwick Gallery, New Glass | Washington DC | 1979 |
Design Teams
Consultant for New Jersey Transit, Hudson Bergan Light Rail, 1995
Seattle Children’s Theater, Project Artrist, 1991-93
Awards
National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship – Glass.1981
Collections
Corning Museum of Glass, Leaded Glass purchase.
State of Oregon Public Buildings: Pendelton, Eugene, Salem, La Grande.
State of Washington: Friday Harbor, Yakima, Battleground, Eatonville, Brownsville, Edmonds, Auburn, Kent, North Shore, Skagit, Edison, Tacoma.