Portrait Society Gallery’s third annual ceramics show finds more than 20 local artists spinning variations on the theme “stacked.” The compositional idea of verticality is permitted liberal interpretation, with some artists opting for a more literal take (e.g. stacking discrete ceramic units) and others content to create objects that are theoretically, if ill-advisably, stackable (e.g., ceramic cups).
“Ceramics shows are rare in galleries these days,” laments Deb Brehmer, owner of Portrait Society Gallery, “Either ceramics get pushed to the side or they are only found at DIY craft fairs.” PSG’s annual ceramics show collapses these contemporary dichotomies: non-ceramic artists are encouraged to try their hand at the medium, the pieces blend sculptural and functional elements and, while it is satisfying to simply view the works, the art has been priced to sell with the holiday season in mind.
Among the exhibiting artists is Craig Clifford, who Brehmer describes as a “mad caster.” Clifford finds charming tchotchkes such as small toy animal figurines from the zoo, casts them and then uses the resultant forms as the vocabulary of his ceramic sculptures. Pat Hidson is one of the two-dimensional artists included in the show. Normally a painter, Hidson has contributed a large portfolio of intricate drawings whose arresting colors and patterns indicate her interest in textiles and Japanese art. In keeping with the show’s theme, Hidson and other two-dimensional artists will have their works stacked vertically on the walls.
“Stacked” opens with a reception on Saturday, Nov. 25 from noon-5 p.m. It will be on display through Dec. 30 at the Portrait Society Gallery, 207 E. Buffalo St., Suite 526.
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