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  Nothing is Better Than Nothing by Adrienne Smart

Stacked, Eternal by Kathy Puzey

My work stems from a long and active relationship with my surroundings. Having spent many years in a small mountainous town in northern Utah, a deep love and fascination grew for this easily accessible wilderness. This essential relationship goes beyond that of mere spectator. Upon further inspection I find myself in a state of dueling contradiction—one of utmost humble respect and the other consisting of an urgency to impose, inspect and rearrange. We as humans have a need to control, manipulate and make things more readily accessible. Where and when does it end? What do we sacrifice in the process? Somewhere in between this internal tug-of-war is where my fascination and inspiration lies. Nature contains various intriguing rhythmic patterns that echo as a whole and yet can be found in the smallest nooks and crannies. This is particularly true with wood—my material of choice. Each trunk, branch, root has a personality of its own. Wood can be stubborn, brittle, and extremely rigid yet, can be molded and polished to a sensuous touch. Whether working two dimensionally or three dimensionally, I find this push and pull relationship enjoyable and exhausting as I carve, rub, press, and apply. This somewhat ritualistic approach has led me to a diligence for craft and a deep respect for material. Some of my approaches can be aggressive but each step has been considered and elements refined to play upon the generated incongruities. Although there is a strange affinity and beauty that takes place between these human constructed and natural forms, this combination leaves me feeling uneasy, and yet very intrigued. 

Wall Installation #7: View by Shasta Krueger

I am fascinated with the tactility of clay; my touch becomes the narrative of the form, unit by unit shaping the object. I use defined lines balanced with my touch to create dynamic forms. Cellular structures of plants and the odd brief glimpse of a great accumulation of similar objects inspire the repeated shapes and patterns. I gravitate to small details that when compiled together begin to create a larger composition; the marks are subtle and hopefully discovered by thorough inspection. Ridged structure balanced with the seemingly spontaneous especially draws my attention, such as cells, the systems they compose, and the organism they create. I am interested in the calculated and the casual as seen in the building up of units.