Exhibition, “Pocket” 2018

Curated by Fred Blauth

“Pocket is a collage and assemblage exhibition inspired by the precious and meaningless objects we carry around with us and the power of a collector to transform one into another. By shrinking the stage for these artworks to play on, the exhibition highlights the diminutive and the different ways small things can define, reveal, shape and connect us.”
- Fred Blauth

Artists: John Belue, Jasen Bernthisel, Naomi Chambers, Elizabeth Fortunato, Selena Hurst, Princess Jafar, Ali Karsh, King Reld, Adam Milner & Derek Peel

Opening Reception: Thursday, August 30th, 7-10pm
On View: August 30th – September 30th by appt.
Lucky Cloud: Shadyside, Pittsburgh, Pa 15232

Lucky Cloud is a special house gallery in a tiny studio apartment of a very interesting person named, Emma Vescio. In order to view the show, visitors had to enter Emma’s apartment and take turns climbing a ladder to view the works. It was delightful to watch people experience this tiny delightful show.

Fred approached me about participating in this group exhibit and rattled off this list of key words: “history, magic, symbols, talisman, horcrux, lockets, snapshots, high low materials, lint, emotional/personal value, receipts, buttons, trash, tiny, found object, sentimental value, coins, Polly Pocket, Duchamp, consumerism, keychains”.

The tiny hand-shaped “Friendship Tokens” I showed in Pocket are inspired by folk art symbols and sized to fit in your hand or pocket. The flat pop-color glazes make them plastic-y and toylike and overglaze decals (snapshots of found critters and plants collected by myself and friends) polka-dot some like stickers. I made them with the intention of extending them to loved ones as friendship tokens, and slowly, they are making their way across the country (and world) into the hands (or pockets, or homes) of special folks.

I think I’ll need to make some more.

Photography by the wonderful Fred Blauth.