Beyond Pots and Figurines
May/June
2016
The
State of Clay in Lexington
by
Taryn Plumb
Clay:
What does the word bring to mind? Earthenware pots sold along a
desert road amidst swirls of dust? Armies of identical figurines?
Mass-made tchotchkes?
Then
you’ve never really seen what clay can do.
The
9th Biennial State of Clay, to be held May 7 through June 5 at the
Lexington Arts and Crafts Society in Lexington, Mass., features the
work of more than 60 Massachusetts artists who work the medium in a
variety of unexpected and inventive ways.
“It’s
a very diverse range of work, from sculptural, to functional, to wall
pieces, representing very different statements and views,” said
Joan Carcia, a potter who co-founded the exhibition with Abrams.
Since
it was conceived in 1997, the show has featured more than 300 artists
from across the Commonwealth. This year’s finalists were culled
from 154 applicants who live in, work in, or otherwise have ties to
Massachusetts. Nearly 500 pieces were submitted, with those appearing
in the show handpicked by renowned ceramicist Wayne Higby of Alfred
University in New York State.
“It’s
a very strong art that is really gaining its deserved reputation,”
said Abrams, a retired drama teacher who picked up wheel-throwing
after college and has spent the last several years experimenting with
clay in a variety of ways. “We’ve really come to appreciate how
strong the ceramic community is in Massachusetts. This is a very
productive state in terms of ceramic expression and links between
ceramic artists.”
To
read more, pick up a copy of our latest issue! Click
here to
find a pick-up location near you or Subscribe
Here.
No comments:
Post a Comment