By Brad Wallace
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Sand crackles underfoot, light lances delicately through space and the scent of pine is in the air.
But you are not in a pristine forest far from civilization, you are at artist Catherine Nash's latest production at the University of Arizona.
Her exhibit, "A Spiral to Within," brings the sanctity of the outdoors inside by using natural elements, handmade paper and unique lighting effects.
The exhibit consists of two installations, both at the South Gallery in UA's Museum of Art and in the Fine Arts Complex on Park Avenue and Speedway Boulevard.
The first, "Shell Daydream," uses walls of handmade paper to create a cave-like space surrounding a vessel filled with seashells. Tears in the paper walls permit colored light to filter through.
In the second installation, "The Clearing," large tamarisk branches and a floor of sand create a forest glen inside our urban world.
Nash's art provides a relaxing escape from the concrete lines of the surrounding cityscape.
Nash earned her master of fine arts degree at UA in 1988. She is an artist in residence with the Arizona State Commission of Arts. Born in New Hampshire, she has traveled and trained in Europe and Japan. Nash has been creating her "outdoor" installations since the late '80s.
"A Spiral to Within" will be on display until Nov. 22 at the UA Museum of Art. The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and noon through 4 p.m. Sunday. The exhibit is closed on Saturday. Admission is free.