2025: In Reflection

This past year was beautiful and challenging at the same time. My wife Åsa Sandlund retired from Nordstrom after 30 years (she is originally from Sweden, living in the states and being married for the same amount of time!). With her newfound freedom we’d decided to have her return to her artistic life as a glass designer. Åsa and I have been working to create a two-person exhibition, to highlight our creative lives together. The glass world is how we met, and in the larger picture, the NW glass movement connects us to the global community. We found ourselves back at Pilchuck Glass School in July, she as a student while I taught a different glass class with Martin Janecký.

Prior to being at Pilchuck Martin and I went out to Raven Skyriver and Kelly O’Dell’s studio on Lopez Island in June. We had decided to convene there, and we invited our mutual friend Joe David, my mentor and teacher. We’re all connected through Joe in different ways. Once we were there and under the guidance of Joe we tried some new sculpted masks. With Raven and Kelly’s sculpting ability we tapped into a well of creativity and new possibilities. Looking ahead, we would like to continue to work together as a collective of artists making collaborative works. At some point we’d like to have a show to present these works, as well as our own individual pieces, that showcase our styles. 

The band Khu.éex’, which I am the co-founder and bassist for, released a new album this year, “Red Cedar in the Hour of Chaos”. It features nine tracks of music, and we are settling into a process of creating new music with our most current lineup. On the horizon is a full-length documentary film about Khu.éex’ that is currently being shopped around to different film festivals around the country. 

The Singletary Studio continues to create blown glass sculptures, with solo exhibitions at the Traver Gallery in Seattle, Blue Rain Gallery in Santa Fe and the Sandra Ainsley Gallery in Toronto. The collaboration with my old friend and writer Garth Stein continues with the new stories of Raven and what he’s up to in the current world we live in. We are working on next year’s show featuring a new story. 

The nationally traveling museum exhibition “Preston Singletary: Raven and the Box of Daylight” will be on view into 2026, stay tuned as we announce the next venue. Currently the exhibition can be seen at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture in Spokane, WA. until January 4th, 2026. 

  
With all the good things happening and inspiration and opportunities presenting themselves, it was a challenge trying to market work in this strange political climate. However, I remain hopeful that things will turn around next year as we strive to work hard, create new and inspiring art and continue to be the best human beings that we can be.

- Preston Singletary