Théo Jonsson film : Instrument of nature.
Instrument of Nature, a short video about Théo’s work drawing from nature, instinct and creativity.
Artworks for Environmental and Cultural Awareness
Théo has been working as an artist and anthropologist. Her work makes visual comparisons in the relationships between nature and humans. Since 2005, she has been working on projects in living cultural heritage that involve immersing herself in another culture and collaborating with native people in an endeavor of their own making, see above “Art in Community.”
Théo works from a direct connection with the land. “Exploring the geology of the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia coastline, by foot and by boat, have shaped me.” between highest peaks and the deepest fjords I find a fragility and balance on the thin, human plane we occupy.
She has collected tree saps and resins from the Pacific Northwest and worldwide to reduce resins into painting and printmaking ink. Peat fens and bogs have been of particular interest to her in Ireland (2008) and in the Pacific Northwest. The ancient, oxygen deprived atmosphere in the fens, cause trees to be must older than they appear and foster the survival of rare medicinal plants. Pine trees exude a resinous sap here and thrive with other acidic plants. Her unique research into the cultural evolution of ancient paint binders and resins is reflected in her work and master studies at Simon Fraser University, BC (2021).
Théo has made a variety of prints from the sound vibrations of species of whales and etched the call patterns in blown, slumped and caste glass forms. The forms evolved through observing shapes transformed by moving water, rock and ice. The material process of transformation due to heat, cooling and tension interests me, speaking of eons of evolution and the climate changes currently affecting sea mammals and humans, mirroring experiences of reduction, decay and regeneration.
Her work has been exhibited at the Museum of Northwest Art, The Whatcom Art Museum, Pilchuck Glass School, Waterford Arts, Cygnus Gallery, Perry Carlson Gallery, Smith and Vallee Gallery, Kinsale Gallery One, the University of Washington, The National Liberty Museum, Philadelphia, OMAI International Exhibition, Mendoza, Argentina, Studio One International Art Festival in Kinsale Ireland, Wellington International Arts Festival, Arte Contemporanea in Rome Italy, and the International Sculpture Exhibition in Munster Germany.
Recording tree root sounds and playing improvisational viola composition.
Reciprocity
“Reciprocity” is a paint and sound collaboration with plants, specifically old growth trees connecting miles of nutrients and communication among trees, and, kelp forests, connecting and feeding sea life from the depths to surface light.
A painted scroll, 5’ X 17,’ titled Reciprocity, was made from oil painting made with collected tree resin and charcoal on Yupo paper. Interactive glass bone with audio headphones plays a music collaboration by the artist with live recordings from the roots of an old growth cedar. The audience can listen to the recordings of fluid passing through root systems.
Roots and mycelium run underground to find water seeps and springs flowing out of cliffs. The painting was made with charcoal and resin collected from a cathedral of weathered Doug fir and spruce trees on multiple climbing trips to the top of Calendar Butte. By thinning the oil paint with resins from these trees, the paint functions like watercolor.
We exist in reciprocity with energy in plants and organisms. I play viola music composed in reciprocity with the live recordings from the root sounds of a tree and underwater sounds of kelp forests.
We are in relationship with the roots connecting these trees to under-ground seeps and crevices we climb to reach them.
Calendar Butte can be found on MountainProject.com
A film inspired by the largest storm in eighty years off the coast of South-West Ireland, Théo made a rock rubbing off the sea cliffs at Garrettstown, Co Cork., and stumbled upon a curragh builder to make a film about the past, present and future, exploring her Irish ancestry.
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Books
The Barn Shows, Mystic Artists of Skagit Valley. 2019
http://www.lavonenewellreimfinearts.com/the-barn-shows-a-living-time-capsule/the-barn-shows
In The Valley of Mystic Light. An oral history of Skagit Valley artists. 2017
https://www.amazon.com/Valley-Mystic-Light-History-Skagit/dp/1640081615
Publication
Stylistic Abstraction and Gesture in Pecos River Style Pictographs, Lower Pecos Region, Texas. Conference Presentation by James Burr Harrison Macrae, M.A. and Theodora Jonsson-Macrae
Papers
Cross Cultural Ingredients and Scientific Analysis Techniques for Identifying Old World and Ancient Paint Mediums 2021
Possible paint binder in the Pecos River style Rock art of Southwest Texas, dating 2,500-4,000 years ago and methods for testing for binders. 2021
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Perry Carlson Gallery
Cygnus Gallery
https://gallerycygnus.com/artists/nggallery/page/2/image/theodora-jonssons
Museum of Northwest Art/Mindful Waters: Life in the Salish Sea
Whatcom Museum
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Théodora Jonsson
18013 Fox Hollow Lane, Bow WA 98232
206-612-9446
Resume
Education:
Degrees:
2024 MA Archaeology. Worldwide Survey of Paint Binders. Simon Fraser University, B.C. Canada
2003 BFA Painting, University of Washington
BA General Arts and sculpture, UW
Minor Art History, UW
1998 Apprenticeship Printmaking with Mario Teleri, Rome, Italy.
Exhibitions:
2025 “Reciprocity” Installation of Spruce Tree Resin Painted 16’ Scroll with
interactive Spruce root sounds. Earth Creative Exhibition at Perry Carlson Gallery. June
2023 Unseen: Tree Resin Paintings, Bellwether Resort, Bellingham
May-August
2022 Equinox, Canopy Art Gallery, Blanchard, WA. November
2021 Perry Carlson Gallery, Solo Exhibition. Arroyas. February
2020 Perry Carlson Gallery, A delicate Balance:Life in the Skagit. March 2020
2019 Winter Electricity Series, Cygnus Gallery Online, April, 2019
2017 “Resist,” Perry Carlson Gallery. Mount Vernon WA. “History Repeats Itself.” Anti-War Posters, Vitreography Printmaking. August 017
2017 “Peace In Peace Out,” 16 large scale paintings with at risk youth in Skagit County. Barns across Skagit County.
2017 Perry Carlson Gallery, Mount Vernon Wa. Exhibiting Whale Call prints with Skagit Women Print. March 2017
2017 OMAI International Exhibition, Mendoza, Argentina. November 2017.
2016 “SURGE,” Museum of Northwest Art. September. Partnership with scientists and artists. Jonsson and Oceanographer Tarang khangaonkar
2016 “From the Heart,” Cygnus Gallery. August through September. 2016
2016 “Skagit Women Print/Guy Anderson: Painter as Printmaker,” Shack Art Center. Everett WA. Jan-Feb 2016
2015 “Paul Heald Retrospective and Friends,” The Barn Show. Mount Vernon WA. August
2015 “Friends of Fish,” Edison Eye Gallery. Edison Wa. May 2015
2015 “Skagit Women Print,” Shoreline Community College. January 2015
2014 “Excellence Award in Painting”, Anacortes Arts Festival, Juried Exhibition. August 2014
2014 Anchor Art Space, “Skagit Women Print,” Collective Exhibition. Introduction by Sheila Farr. July-August 2014.
2014 Smith and Valee, “Atmospheres” Edison Wa. March 2014
2013 Solo Presentation, “Arts Alive,” La Conner WA. November 1,2,3 2013.
2013 Glasplastik und Garten, International Exhibition and outdoor sculpture Garden. Munster, Germany. August 17-Sept. 8th 2013.
2013 “Nature in the Balance.” Whatcom Museum, Bellingham WA. July 6-Sept 22, 2013
2013 “From Here to There.” Smith and Vallee Gallery, Edison, WA. June1-30,
2013 Skagit Valley College Gallery Exhibition of blown and etched glass and Vitreography.Jan. 15, 2013- March 3, 2013
2012 COCA Seattle, Alive/Dead Exhibition, COCA Gallery, November-Dec.
2012 Arts Alive, La Conner City Council Arts Exhibition, Opening Nov. 2nd,
2012 Pilchuck Glass School Gallery. Printshop Coordinator, cast glass and print. August 2012
2012 “Deep Listening,” Five Skagit Women artists. Cygnus Gallery, La Conner, WA. July-Aug. 26th.
2012 “On to the Next One,” NW Printmakers. Exhibition and demonstration. Smith and Vallee Gallery, Edison, WA. June 2-30th.
2011 Center on Contemporary Art, Seattle. 19th Annual Art Marathon
2011 Arts Alive: Juried Northwest Arts Exhibition. Nov. 4-6, 2011 La Conner
2011 Museum of Northwest Art, Permanent Collection. The First Thirty Years: Mona Collects. Oct 8-Jan 1, 2011
2011 10x10x10 Tieton. Juried Exhibition of Art, Craft, Print & Photography. Mighty Tieton Gallery, Wa
2011 Cygnus Gallery Exhibition Solo with Maggie Wilder: Seeking Source, video installation, cast and printed glass. September/October 2011
2011 Whatcom Museum of History and Art. Fate of the Forest Exhibition. June 4 - September 18, 2011. Bellingham, WA.
2011 Finding Source: Video/Blown Glass Installation. Pilchuck Glass School. July 2011
2011 Pilchuck Glass School Gallery. Printshop Coordinator, vitreography. July
2011 Salish Sea Exhibition. Smith and Vallee Gallery, Edison, WA. June, 2011
2011 Skagit County Historical Museum: Paint Me A River, Sept. 23-Dec 31
2011 Glass Whale Bones exhibited at Smith and Vallee Gallery, Edison WA
2011 National Liberty Museum, Philadelphia, Generation to Generation Glass Show. Pennsylvania. March 24 - April 24, 2011. Selected ten artists
including Paul Marioni and Keke Cribbs.
2011 Museum of Northwest Art, Solo Exhibition, Benaroya Gallery.
Mindful Waters: Life in the Salish Sea. La Conner WA January/March
2011 Glass Whale Bones with Lanny Bergner, Anchor Art Space Anacortes WA. Febuary 2011
2010 Arts Alive Exhibition, Artist Invitational, La Conner WA, November
2010 Kinsale Arts Festival, Studio One, Group Show, July, Kinsale Ireland EU
2010 River Landscapes, Water Shapes: Jonsson/ Wilder, Sept/Nov.
Cygnus Gallery, La Conner
2010 Morris Graves Invitational Exhibition with Charlie Kraft, August, Tashiro Kaplan Space, Seattle WA
2010 Birds, August, Smith Valee Gallery, Edison WA
2010 Anacortes Arts Festival, July, Northwest Image Gallery Commission
2010 In The Hall of Light, Video editor, production assistant and music debut with Maggie Wilder at the Poetry Festival, May, La Conner WA
2010 Texture Gallery, May, Selected Group Show, Anacortes WA
2009 Cygnus Gallery, Febuary, selected show, Honoring Poetry Festival
2009 Texture Gallery, Pollination, Solo show. Anacortes Wa. Dec/Febuary
2009 Marc’s On Pine, Holographica, Solo Show. Mount Vernon Wa. November
2009 Kinsale Art Festival, Studio One, Intaglio prints group show. July. Kinsale, Ireland
2009 Glass House Project, etched glass, printmaking, Recovery Cafe Seattle
May 2008-April 2009, glasshouseproject.blogspot.com
2009 Arts Alive Group show, November. La Conner, Wa.
2009 Paint Me a River, La Conner Historical Museum, Ocober-January
2009 Seaside Gallery Group Painting show, August. La Conner Wa.
2009 Skagit Valley Studio Tour July 2009
2009 Edison Eye, Edison Wa. Decay, group show. August
2009 Rexville Gallery, Solo show, May, Skagit Valley WA.
2008 Skagit Valley Hospital Collective show, May, Mt Vernon, WA
2008 Insights Gallery, Anacortes, Washington. June/July.
2008 Sandpiper Gallery, Polson, Montana. Selected Group Show, June-July.
2008 Insights Gallery, Anacortes, Washington. USA. January-Febuary.
2005 Art Not Terminal, Seattle, WA. Selected Group Show, July 2005
2004 Pilchuck Selected Glass Show, Pilchuck WA
2003 Jacob Lawrence Gallery, Painting Exhibition and Installation
Seattle, WA.
2002 Jacob Lawrence Gallery, Juried Group Exhibition Seattle, WA.
2002 Anacortes Arts Festival, Anacortes WA.
Selected group exhibition. Juror Alden Mason.
2001 Parnassus Gallery, Seattle, WA
Solo Exhibition.
2001 ForceMassVolume, Art Drill, Sandpoint Naval Base, Seattle. Selected group exhibition.
2000 Café Culture, Wellington International Arts Festival, 2000
1998 Arte Contemporanea, Mostra Di Pittura. Rome, Italy.
1998 Campo di Fiori, Installation and Performance Show
Rome, Italy.
Bibliography:
2019 The Barn Shows, “Theodora’s work inspired from working with mentors William Slater and John Simon.
2018 La Conner Weekly, “Northwest Visionary Contemporaries.” March 14.
2017 In the Valley of Mystic Light, “Theodora an upcoming Mystic Painter.” Published in October 2017
2017 “Voices of the Children Mural,” Mount vernon WA. Skagit Herald, July
2017 Faces of the Skagit, “Artist Theodora Jonsson works with youth and Voices of the Children...”April 2017. Skagit Herald
2011 “The Great, Chilly Outdoors: artists lead a class of landscape and light drawing,” The Argus: Skagit Valley Publishing Co. Nov. 1, 2011
2011 “Gathering Inspiration,” The Natural Enquirer: Skagit Valley Co-op/Augus
2011 The Seattle Times, Forest Groves and Mountain Vistas, Fate of the forest exhibition at the Whatcom Museum in Bellingham. Theodora Jonsson’s work is highlighted as one worth seeing.
2011 La Conner Weekly News by Amy Lynn Richards. Hard-court press rolls into La Conner: Steam Roller Art Project by Artist Theodora Jonsson and local artists and Swinomish Youth. June 8, 2011
2011 The Argus: Skagit Publishing, The Great chilly Outdoors! Artists Theodora Jonsson and Sarah Detzer led a class on landscape and light drawing that captivated students’ attention...Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011.
2011 Kee Yoks Swinomish Tribal Newspaper. Theodora is new face and teacher. Robin Carneen, Vol 45 Issue 6. June 2011
2011 La Conner Weekly News. Kathy Stevens Photodocumentation of Theodora Jonsson as the next generation of Skagit Artist at Cygnus Gallery, La COnner WA. Febuary 23,2011. Susan McKeehan.
2011 Wild/Life, When nature isn’t natural. Cascdia Weekly News, Jan 8, 2011. Amy Kepferle
2010 Remembering John Simon, Friend and Mentor, Theodora Jonsson, Skagit Valley Artists Together Review, July 2010
2010 In The Hall of Light, Skagit Vally Film, The Skagit Herald, Anna Fernandes, May
2008 “Artist Wins Film Award,” The La Conner Weekly News, WA. Nov. 19th
2005 Cronin, Olga. “Campaign kicks off to raise funds for making of documentary: M.E.P. Kathy Sinnott backs film on autism.” The Echo, Cork Ireland, February 22, 2005
2004 Bargreen, Melinda. “Twelve area Artists put their colorful variations on violins,” The Seattle Times, Seattle, WA July 26, 2004
2003 Brook McKean. “Perception Construct installation at Parnassus Gallery.”
The Daily Newspaper, Seattle, WA May 2003
2002 Walbeck, Nancy. “Juried Fine Art Show....” Theodora selected artist.
The Anacortes Review, September, 2002
Residency Teaching Experience
2017 Resident Artist, University of Hawaii Manoa. Honalulu, HI. Collaboration with Marine Biology Dept. with printmaking whale calls.
2017 Resident Artist, Gurreneasig Irish School, Ballenspittle IR. Directed Film “Water at my Doorstep.” Mural painted, “Traditional Currachs and Shark Whale Harvest.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyu7sUBD6tI
2011 Pilchuck Glass School Glass Workshop with Charlie Cohen
2004 Pilchuck Glass School Glass Workshop with John Reyntein
2004 Vermont Studio Center Residency
2000 Work with independent artists. Auckland, New Zealand.
1998 Printmaking, Mario Teleri. Temple University, Rome.
1997 UW Studio Arts Program, Rome.
Honors /Awards/Grants:
2012 Paul Allen Grant for La Conner Art Glass research and business dev.
2011 Pilchuck Glass School Scholarship
2011 La Conner Arts Counsel grant for teaching block printing, Journeys Project.
2008 Best Short Documentary Award, Waterford Film Festival, November
2005 Irish Member of Parliament funding for Autism Film Documentary, Kathy Sinnott
2004 Pilchuck Glass School Scholarship
2004 Vermont Sutdio Center Full Fellowship
2004 Bellevue Philharmonic Orchestra’s Ten Northwest Artists, Auction.
2002 Milnor Roberts Scholarship in Art
1997 Lambda Rho Scholarship to study in Rome.
2002, 2001, 1997, 1996 Honors in Academics, University of Washington, Seattle
Instruction/Presentation/Workshops
2023 Elements in Creating an Archaeological Landscape in the Ancestral Lands of the Indigenous Peoples in the San Juan Islands, Washington. Talk given by Theodora J. Macrae at Simon Fraser University Seminar Series, September 14, 2023
2023 Indigenous Education with Sarah Cayou, Swinomish. Indigenous Plants, stories and printmaking. Whatcom Hills Waldorf School.
2019 Stylistic Abstraction and Gesture in Pecos River Style Pictographs, Lower Pecos Region, Texas. Presentation for 2019 90th Annual Texas Archaeology Society, Amarillo TX. James Burr Harrison Macrae, M.A. and Theodora Jonsson-Macrae M.A. Candidate Simon Fraser University.
2017 “Peace In Peace Out,” Six months with 4 youth centers. Collaboration with International artist JR in black and white photo documentation, ethnographic stories, and 16 large scale paintings made in weekly classes in 4 youth cenrters in Skagit County. Barns across Skagit County.
2015 Pilchuck Glass School, “The Glass Matrix,” Rayzist and Vitreography workshop. TA for Charlie Cohan. May 21-29th 2015
2015 Pilchuck Glass School, Printmaking Instructor. “The Glass PLate,” Vitreography Workshop. Feb 21-22nd.
2014-2015 Printmaking Instruction from Aeden Studios, La Conner WA
2012 Vitreo Studios, Vitreography workshop. Printmaking from the glass plate. March 2012.
2012 Vitreo Studios, Color History and mixing colors from earth in the skagit valley. Fieldtrip March 2012.
2012 Vitreo Studios, Authentic Abstraction/Drawing: the structure of painting. March-April
2012 Vitreo Studios, Expressive Printmaking. Monotype, the gesture of moving water. March- April.
2011 Pilchuck Glass School. Printshop Coordinator, Vitreography. August/Sept
2011 Pilchuck Glass School. Printshop Coordinator, Vitreography. June-July
2011 Journeys Printmaking Event Director. Gathering Northwest and Native Artists for three exhibitions including the Canoe Journey and Anacortes Arts Festival.
2011 Journeys Printmaking. Instructor for relief printing and linoleum carving.
Adults and Teens. April -June 2011SwinomishYouthCenter.
2011 Instructor for “Expand your Horizons” with Watercolor on Vellum paper.
Museum of Northwest Art, Family Art Day, April 23
2011 Instructor for “Cycle of Artmaking,” Art and Discussion, Febuary-march, The Red Barn, La Conner WA
2011 Co-Instructor for “Expect the Unexpected,” with Maggie Wilder. Seeing art making in a new ways. Cygnus Gallery, La Conner WA
2010 Instructor for “Ceramics for the Abstract Mind,” Aeden studios, La Conner Wa, June-July
2010 Instructor for “Outdoor Art Expereinces,” Aeden Studios, La Conner WA, January-July
2008/9 Recovery Cafe Etching Circle. Art Club and Final Installation of works completed by individuals in recovery. Recovery Cafe Building, Belltown Seattle WA.
2006 Instructor for Adult Figure Drawing Instruction. Aloha ArtsCenter, Kauai, Hawaii. c/o Carol Yotsuda
2006 Production Assistant of “Kauai’s Great Weigh Out” Documentary, Hoola, Kauai
2006-7 Producer of Film Documentaries, “Autism: A Call to Action,” and A Lion In the Room, Ireland
2004-5 Art Director for art and sensory workshops with OT Linda Baker.
Cork, Ireland
2003-4 Instructor for Drawing and Painting, Aeden Studios, Fremont, Seattle
2003-4 Glass Beading assemblage for artists Sabrina Knowles and Jenny Pohlman.
2002 Sounds Underwater, Lake Union, Seattle WA.
with visual artist Trimpin, 206-323-3471
2001/2002 Rockwood Enterprises, Seattle WA. City of Kirkland and UW
Public Sculpture Restoration. Linda Rockwood
1998 Elliott/Brown Gallery, Seattle WA.
Sales, Promotion, Gallery Installation, glass handling and packing.
Kate Elliott.
Private and Permanent Collections
2011 Museum of Northwest Art, "Night Mother,” permanent collection.
2010 Northwest Image Gallery, Comission, opening Anacorters Arts Festival.
2006 Coglan Summer House, Myrtleville, Ireland.
2004 Janusz Walentynowicz private collection.
2002 Springboard Productions, Corvallis, OR
9’ X 9’ Installation Commissioned by Jean Bonifas
2002 Caroline Trindle, London, England
Private Collection
2002 George Sale & Joan Sutliff, Bainbridge Is., WA.
Private Collection
2001 Lauren Kramer & Rion Dudley, Seattle, WA.
Private Collection
2000 Brigitte and Hughe Setter
Auckland New Zealand
Private Collection
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A Film that follows the thread that weaves Théo’s work together in a brief summary of her work.
The Ceremony Of Painting
The Ceremony Of Painting is a process of creating from a place of meaning. Collecting tree saps and kelp mucilage and combining resin binders with pigments draws on practices used in ancient spiritual temples, grottoes and caves.
Spruce tree resin with walnut oil pigment….
Kelp mucilage combined with ink in The Council of Kelp, below….Théo swims out to collect kelp in kelp gardens off Deception Pass, prints the kelp and makes paints by combing the mucilage with ink to paint an energetic dance with kelp. Théodora plays violin and sings in a baltic influenced lament called mirológi stemming from the polysonic songs from Epirus, the birthplace of her namesake Saint Theodora.
Undersea color spectrums hold various species of whale calls made as an artist in residency at the University of Hawaii, Honolulu, in 2018.
Mine Eye……blown glass whale bone and mirror.
A close up of life size adult and baby whale with human in
“Eye to Eye” brings into question our interchangeability with another species such as the Baleen Whale. Our correspondence with these large mammals has been divided in the past. Our future is dependent upon the survival of their species and brings us nearer to standing in their skin. The Eye to Eye series was made in conjunction with Tarang Khangaonkar, an oceanographer with Skagit Climate Science Consortium. Through his research, he is currently simulating acidification and the carbon cycle in the Salish Sea. The data showing ocean Ph levels changing from the year 1900 and projected to 2100 is reflected in the markings on the human’s walking stick in the painting on the right.
Théo listening to underwater sea sounds where she plays music live in collaboration with sea life.
A spontaneous collaboration with an approaching storm moved me to play music with the rushing currents of Deception Pass, Washington.
Of Method and Meaning
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Painting
Oil on Canvas
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Printmaking
Vitreography Monoprint
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Glass
Blown Caste Carved