Clay, sand and water. These earthy, humble elements have been molded into vessels and various containers for many centuries. The Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts examines this essential art form in an exhibition, “An Exploration of Vessel Archetypes: Michael Imes,” at its second-level Ploch Art Gallery.
A nationally renowned ceramicist and Carroll University art professor, Imes presents more than 75 artworks. Some are functional while others relate to the viewer purely as sculpture, voluptuous receptacles for the imagination.
A serene color palette cohesively unites the exhibition. His glazes, stains and washes are primarily sienna, sepia and white ash in hue, with accents of aquamarine and moss green. All give subtle hints of earth, sea and sky.
An intriguing discovery comes to mind when viewing the Imes exhibition. One remembers humankind’s origins, the first attempts to carry or hold water and food to ease the burden of daily life. And how most every culture has elaborated on those vessels by creating ordinary objects that often transcend their mundane functions to become art.
The Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts presents “An Exploration of Vessel Archetypes: Michael Imes” through April 26. An opening reception from 6-9 p.m., Friday, March 21, will be free and open to the public. All artworks in the exhibition are numbered and available for purchase with the number of the piece corresponding to a number on a published price list.
