Small Favors
I've always really loved little things. There is something delightfully more intimate about a miniature object than a similar object of a larger size. Being able to hold the entirety of an object in the palm of your hand is an intimate and engaging experience. This spring I was accepted into a show called Small Favors VIII - an annual "miniature" exhibition at The Clay Studio in Philadelphia. Each artist submitted a piece of work that was no larger than 3.5" x 3.5" that were displayed in plexiglass cubes on the wall. Some artists used these parameters as a way to engage the audience in a new way and made special work for the event. Other artists submitted pieces from their current body of work that fit into these parameters.
One of my wood-fired porcelain dessert stands made it into the show, along with pieces from a range of other makers across the world. You can see the whole show online (and purchase work) at http://www.theclaystudio.org/exhibition/small-favors-viii
Some of my favourite pieces from the show are:
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The pieces will be on display in the gallery at The Clay Studio until Saturday June 2. However, the pieces will remain in the online gallery for much longer. Please take note that, unfortunately, my piece was photographed upside-down, so doesn't properly display its features or use on their website. But, here is the photograph I snapped of the piece before I sent it to the folks in Philadelphia.
The Clay Studio:
"Small Favors challenges and engages artist’s creativity in new and exciting ways with the challenge of making pieces for this exhibition. For some artists, the work they create is similar to what they normally make, although at a reduced scale. Others use it as an opportunity to break away from what they create in their daily studio practice. Regardless of this choice, the works exhibited are incredibly varied in material, form, and aesthetics. Though small in scale the artworks created for this exhibition are huge in impact. Each work is exhibited in a Plexiglas wall mounted cube.
Conceived of in 2006, Small Favors grew out The Studio's efforts to offer accessible, high-quality artworks that appeal to art enthusiasts of all ages. For older collectors who are challenged for space it allows them to continue to collect work by artists they love. For young art collectors it provides an accessible entry point."
