Vancouver, WA August 17, 2010. On July 22 Vancouver artists Jennifer Corio and Dave Frei of Cobalt Designworks installed their new 6-foot sculpture Despite the Rain in downtown Bremerton, Washington. The whimsical metal woman flaunting her umbrella is an ode to the Pacific Northwest weather…and not letting it get the best of you. “I really have to drag myself outside during the long dark rainy months, but when I do I find it quite liberating and soul cleansing,” says Corio who designed the sculpture.
Dave Frei, craftsman of the husband/wife team, fabricated the body of Despite the Rain using stainless steel. Both the umbrella and puddle are made from mild steel with bright metallic powder coat colors. “I chose orange for the umbrella to add a bit of sunshine to the piece,” says Corio. Frei adds, “Stainless steel together with a powder coat finish will withstand the test of time even in Bremerton's maritime climate.”
This public art project was funded by Bremerton's 1% for art program, administered by the city's Arts Commission. They wanted seven individual sculptures to adorn Pacific Avenue in Bremerton’s re-energized downtown. Corio & Frei were awarded one of the sculptures back in February of 2009, and after months of contract negotiations and project holds they began fabrication last April.
You can find their sculpture on the corner of 5th & Pacific in downtown Bremerton (map). See photos and read more about this metal work project on Cobalt Designworks' blog.
In October Corio & Frei will install two more large scale metal sculptures at juried exhibitions in San Diego and Palm Desert, California. View other public works by the artists at their website gallery.
Jennifer Corio and Dave Frei are a husband and wife team who combine artisan design with master craftsmanship to create graceful metal sculptures of all sizes. Their business Cobalt Designworks, established in 2008, specializes in the design and fabrication of these sculptures along with custom ornamental and architectural metal work. They live and work in Vancouver, WA.
Contact: Jennifer Corio
Phone: 360.281.5619
Email: jennifer@CobaltDesignWorks.com
Web: www.CobaltDesignWorks.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cobaltdesignworks
Twitter: cobaltdesignwks
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/cobaltdesignworks
Biznik: http://biznik.com/members/jennifer-corio