Esther Ervin
Born
Somerville, New Jersey, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Alma mater California State University, Long Beach, MFA Illustration; University of California, Irvine, BS Biological Science

Esther Ervin is an American sculptor based in Seattle, Washington.[1]

Early life and education

Esther Ervin was born in Somerville, New Jersey. She earned a BS in Biology from the University of California at Irvine with studies at the American University of Beirut, and an MFA in BioMedical Illustration from the University of California at Long Beach. She focused on bio-medical illustration and sculpture.[2][3]

Career and influences

Ervin has created public works for Liberty Bank, in Seattle.[1][4] She consulted on the design of the Liberty Bank Building in Seattle's Central District.[5][6] She earned a Gregory M. Robinson Scholarship for Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle.[3]

After a mediocre career in insurance and securities, Esther was awarded a residency and the Gregory M. Robinson scholarship at Pratt Fine Arts Center in 2008, where she studied jewelry-metalsmithing and welding. In 2009, she had a residency at the Dr. James W. Washington, Jr. and Mrs. Janie Rogella Washington Foundation, in Seattle, where she incorporated materials found there into new work. She acted as the director of the James Washington Foundation for four years, implementing capital improvements; hosting artists-in-residence, youth programs and tours. For these accomplishments, she was selected in 2014 to receive the “Living Legacy of Phenomenal People” award by the Central Area Chamber of Commerce. In 2020 she was invited to an Artist-In-Residence Collaborative at the same Foundation along with Christina Reed, Eve Sanford, Erin Shigaki and Carol Williams. As well as completing independent works based on the theme of "What Color is Color?" they combined their skills to create a three-dimensional piece that is permanently housed on the premises.

Esther continues exploring new techniques, and works in various mediums, often focusing on environmental or political subjects and abstract works. Her one-of-a-kind jewelry has been exhibited in Washington, Oregon, Beijing, China; Vilnius and Palanga, Lithuania and in Legnica and Gdansk, Poland.

She has 18 permanent 3-D pieces installed at the Liberty Bank Building on 24th Avenue and Union Street, Seattle, WA. These are 4 etched glass canopy panels depicting Seattle's redlined Central District, 11 concrete and tile benches and 3 bronze salmon sculptures in a water feature. She was also project coordinator and financial manager for the entire artistic project from 2016 to 2019. In 2020 Esther's work was installed at the Pavilion Marketplace, a 14' x 4’ steel panel titled “Cowrie Cloth,” on Jackson Street, near 23rd Avenue, Seattle, WA.

While consistently generating and exhibiting jewelry and mixed-media work, Esther has curated over 50 exhibitions; participated in numerous group exhibits in California, Oregon and Washington states; been on local and out-of-state juries and had five solo exhibitions. She is a member or participant in several arts organizations including the Onyx Fine Arts Collective and the Seattle Metals Guild.

She has also researched preservation of documents and photographs from the late 1800s to the present and printed "Self-Preservation of Documents and Photographs," 1st Edition, first presented for the Association for African American Historical Research and Preservation Second Annual Conference at the Museum of History and Industry, Seattle, WA., Feb. 5, 2005. Esther received a grant from the Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, now known as Seattle Arts & Culture, to support this research.

In 2021 Ervin was one of five artists selected for Amazon's artist in residence program.[7][8]

References

  1. 1 2 Macz, Brandon (10 March 2019). "Midtown Commons design team to make case for art". madisonparktimes.com. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  2. ↑ "Esther Ervin / Common Field". www.commonfield.org. Retrieved 2020-11-04.
  3. 1 2 "Pratt Prom: Forever Devoted – 2016 Fine Art Auction Catalog by Pratt Fine Arts Center – Issuu". webcache.googleusercontent.com. Retrieved 2020-11-04.
  4. ↑ "Liberty Bank Building Ribbon Cutting This Saturday". The Seattle Medium. 2019-03-22. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  5. ↑ Lloyd, Sarah Anne (2019-03-26). "In the Central District, the Liberty Bank Building celebrates black heritage—and a resilient future". Curbed Seattle. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  6. ↑ "The new Liberty Bank Building in the Central District is a historic step against displacement and gentrification". www.realchangenews.org. Retrieved 2020-11-04.
  7. ↑ "Amazon turns to Seattle artists to teach employees about problem solving". Puget Sound Business Journal. Retrieved 2021-07-31.
  8. ↑ "Five local artists selected for Amazon Artist in Residence program for 2021". US About Amazon. 2021-03-15. Retrieved 2021-07-31.
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