The Inverness Ridge is filled with amazing artists, and one of the great pleasures of living in this community is the opportunity to discover new work and speak to them about their inspiration. Last week, I ventured into the Hermitage Gallery, a new gallery and shop behind Saltwater and The Shaker Shop West in Inverness.
Hermitage is the creation of fourth-generation Inverness native Michael Barnett and his partner, Margaret Weir. Michael remembers the joy of spending summers at the shoreline with his parents, searching for whatever treasures the ocean deposited onto the sandy edge of the Pacific plate. It is those treasures that he continually collects and gently transforms into the simple, elegant sculptures that make up the body of work at Hermitage, called “Insights at the Edge.”
After graduating with a B.A. in studio art from U.C. Santa Barbara, Michael apprenticed with several Bay Area sculptors, most notably Inverness’s own J. B. Blunk, who is famous for his monumental redwood pieces. In the 15 years that he worked with Blunk, Michael says he not only learned the technical skills of woodworking and came to appreciate the Asian aesthetic, but also learned a lot about the art of living. “J.B. had an almost religious devotion to doing the work, not just for sale, but as food for the soul, for all humanity,” he said. This reverence for the materials and gratitude for the gifts of the earth is evident in all of Michael’s work.
When I asked him to show me his favorite piece, Michael introduced me to “Redwood Man,” an Easter Island-like head created from a giant hunk of first-growth redwood. The piece reflects his many years walking the beaches of both Hawaii and Marin and his carving has a light touch, the line of the eyebrow and nose suggesting the playfulness of Henri Mattise. Michael says he tries to see the sculpture in the material without imposing his will upon it.
One thing that attracts me to Michael’s work are the holes or portals that enliven many of the driftwood pieces. Whether he accentuates the void created by a natural burl or carves an opening to bring a piece into tension, the holes are where the action is. In contrast to the soft, wooden pieces are his massive stone pieces, the giant eggs, basins, bowls and a glorious abstract wave all made of jade from farther south on the coast.
Hermitage Gallery, located at 5 Inverness Way, is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 2 to 6 p.m. On Sunday, August 7, Michael and Margaret will hold a festive reception in the gallery and adjoining apple orchard garden from 1 to 3 p.m.
Susan Page Tillett lives in Inverness and is the executive director of the Mesa Refuge artists’ retreat in Point Reyes Station. She has enjoyed supporting the work of artists and writers for more than 40 years.