6 artists showcase their unique studies of the human form.
Fern Barker
“Untitled”, Memoryware
Memory Ware / Fern’s Little People
My “Little People” are my own personal take on Memory Ware.
Memory Ware has important historical value. Originally a funeral custom
from the African Culture brought to America during the time of slavery.
Vessels were decorated with a variety of sentimental objects and placed
on the graves of loved ones. Some Memory Vessels had old bisque doll’s
heads on them (see photo), and being a lover of dolls, I used them in
my pieces. There is some speculation that Memory ware not only honored
the memory of the deceased, but celebrates the living, by making use of
interesting found objects such as China shards, buttons, shells, beads,
bits of jewelry and the like.
It is my belief that Memory Ware encompasses all of the above, and possibly
more. My “Little People” bring me great joy. They have their
own expressions and their own personalities. I truly hope you enjoy seeing
them as much as I did creating them.
Robert Cantor
“Miguela”, bronze
My work always begins with the human figure and face. I create figures, often stylized, in the hope that through movement, kinetic tension, the exaggeration of form, or the sheer beauty of line, some thoughtful and heartfelt aspect of human existence will be revealed. And I sculpt busts because I believe a skillfully realized expression is probably the most direct way to give life to bronze or stone. For me, the most moving of all sculptural forms are those that capture the psychological ambiguities, conflicts, and hidden meanings of everyday life.
In two other series of clay and bronze studies: (the Human Comedy and Pumping Irony), I’ve tried to capture a distorted, cartoon-like, humorous, but always faithful depiction of human character, experience, andrelationship; as in a dream when someone appears strange but recognizable, usually because some essence or private obsession is exposed.
In making all of these sculpted forms, my desire is to arouse something visceral; to comfort, to induce a chuckle, to invite reflection, and on occasion, to startle, to make the hairs stand up on your neck
“Fledgelings”
As the butterfly nourishes itself on its disintegrated caterpillar body, we too are nourished and nurtured by our childhood.
This body of work, "Fledgelings", explores childhood. I have always been intrigued by children's unique expressions and perspectives on life. For "Fledgelings", I have sculpted a number of children in ceramics. They are rendered without heads or limbs: their physical forms fill out the clothes they wear. Each sculpture represents a unique child. Their clothes and body language reflect their individual personalities. The children are grouped in pairs, revealing a range of possible dynamics in relationships between children.
These pieces are created as memories, shells of childhood
Sidnea D’Amico
“Bahia Hills 2”, mixed media
Deb Shattil
Fiber
Olya Segal
“Faye”, watercolor, gouache, pencil
“RENDEZVOUS”
A Celebration of Eternal Friendship
It was 1981 when Anne, Traudel and Lilo dropped
their children at Kensington School for first grade. The children became
friends, as did the mothers who volunteered at the school. The three
women discovered that they had a common interest in art, and their friendship
became stronger. Lilo, excited by landscape and light, took watercolor
classes and started to paint. Traudel had taken classes in sculpture
working with clay, and she continued to pursue this interest. Anne had
studied art formally and received a degree in Fine Art. She modified
her focus and began creating functional work.
Now after 25 years, the three women find themselves reunited at the
ACCI gallery, having more fully developed their personal styles. Though
their media and their approaches are quite different, the bond of art
has kept their friendship alive over these many years.
Traudel Prussin
Image:
“Denise”, clay
Lilo Brockman
“Poppies",
Watercolor, collage
Anne Stewart
Ceramic
Weather worn rock, wind driven sand, water-saturated mud – these have been visual fascinations for me all my life. Recently I began working with sculpture clay, a new clay body in my experience. The wonderfully natural qualities of this material allow me to play with texture and earthy tones in a very unique way.
I was trained in sculpture, spent several years as a photographer and
then became a studio potter focusing primarily on functional porcelain.
Now I seem to be fascinated in juxtaposing the earthy raw sculptural textures
with the functional glazed surface. This represents a new direction for
me. The mystery of the future with its limitless possibilities is a large
part of what draws me to the creative process. Watching my work evolve
but being unable to explain all of the twists and turns maintains my interest
and excitement. I can never predict what will come next. I create and
watch.