STILL, LIFE || Plant and Design Exhibition Featuring Queens-Based Ceramicist
STILL, LIFE — the second show in Tula's new art series entitled DFALT, is on from August 11th until September 12th.
DFALT aims to highlight human-made objects that address the natural world. We had previously covered the first show that is a part of the series featuring Obscure Plant Club by Yuko Nishikawa, a collection of rare plants in whimsical shapes and forms. The latest plant and design exhibition in collaboration with Queens-based ceramicist, Erin Clancy, STILL, LIFE presents one-of-kind pre-planted arrangements available for purchase only at Tula.
Plants from tula paired with Erin Clancy’s ceramics remind us of the intriguing whimsical shapes we see in nature
The ceramics are beautiful and functional, designed to be enjoyed at the table and in the home. With her background in printmaking, Erin builds up the surface of the ceramics through layered glaze, creating a captivating blend of vibrant colours with each piece that is brought to life with botanical companionship. The exhibition is designed as a complete experience with Erin’s works shown alongside prints and poetry by collaborating writers, Solomon Olmstead, Rachel Miller, and Lewis Feuer. The pieces are available for purchase at the show.
Erin Clancy’s background in printmaking creates mesmerizing dreamscapes on each of her pieces
When asked about the inspiration behind this series of works, Erin shared that “when I made all these pieces it was the moment the city was opening up and so I think that's a lot of what Rachel and Sol [collaborating writers for the STILL, LIFE exhibition] and I have been talking about, just what does it mean, specifically in New York City in this moment to feel, there’s just a lot of mixed emotions, so I think the show, ultimately, is going to be really joyful, but there's still a fair bit of processing in the work. So we’ll see what happens.”
Looking at the playful expressions of the plants as they stretch up, forward, and off to the side, we get a sense of why Erin’s statement for the collection includes keywords such as ‘joyful embraces’ and ‘re-remembered social graces’. The plants’ postures seem to pause in time, and the limbs appear outstretched inviting the observer to come closer and into the embrace.
The plants branches and leaves stretch in every direction in a lively expression
“I am trying to capture what I was doing on paper with layering the glazes, and because working with an electric kiln you have these flat colors that are happening, so I think what I’m interested in is how to build up the surface enough that you can still create these environments on the surface that are a little warmer and have an element of mystery in them.”
The soothing medley of blues and greens mixed in with creamy yellow and punchy orange all point to Erin’s theme of being joyful. The feeling we get from Erin’s creations is that of a warm, comforting dream. A distant memory that is blurry at the edges and makes us smile when we recall the experience.
What do you see and feel when you look at these pieces?
Make sure to stop by the exhibition hosted at the Tula flagship store, from now until September 12th, 2021.
Through utilizing layered glaze, Erin adds texture and depth to the designs
