This is the Anthropocene is on view at Harris Center | Bank of America Gallery, Folsom, CA
February 11 – March 27, 2022
This Spring, artists Cynthia Siegel and Jenni Ward curated the exhibition This is the Anthropocene at the Harris Center for the Arts | Bank of America Gallery in Folsom, CA. The exhibition includes the work of the curators along with Shannon Sullivan, Susan Whitmore and Wesley Wright, who are all California-based ceramic artists. This is the first event the gallery has hosted since the start of the pandemic, over two years ago. The exhibition is running concurrently with the NCECA (National Council on Education in the Ceramic Arts) annual conference which is taking place in Sacramento in mid-March.
The concept of the exhibition is based on the Anthropocene, which is defined as the current geological age during which human activity has been the dominant influence on the climate and the environment. Driven by personal experience, the artists of this exhibition have created works for contemplation and discussion, addressing topics such as disconnection from nature, loss of habitat, and shifting geological boundaries. Viewers will delight in the native Californian animal species made by Wright and the whimsical oversized flower installation by Ward. The abstract works of Sullivan and Whitmore, which look at the earth as a land of textures and layers to be explored, invite close contemplation. Siegel’s gestural and meditatively-textured figurative forms convey the inseparability of man and nature.
Professor of Art at Folsom Lake College, Marisa Sayago says, “This is the Anthropocene is a visual experience that highlights the relationship between humans and nature and is a peek into the creative souls of the five California artists. The work is serene, fantastical, and soothing. It exudes a beauty that embraces hope for this intricate relationship humans have with nature.” The exhibit is on display through March 27th, with a reception for the artists on March 17th, 2022, from 6:30 – 8:30 pm. The gallery is open Tuesday through Thursdays from 12-4.
About Cynthia Siegel: Sculptor, potter and 2014-2015 Fulbright-Nehru Scholar to India, Cynthia Siegel creates figurative work that celebrates human connection to the natural world. She believes that by re-establishing human respect for all flora and fauna, the earth may again find its balance. Siegel exhibits her artwork and presents lectures and workshops internationally. Her work is part of many public and private collections, and is included in such publications as Ceramics Today, Ceramic Art and Perception, and 500 Figures in Clay. Siegel is based in Santa Cruz, CA.
About Jenni Ward: Jenni Ward is a California-based ceramic sculptor who creates abstract pieces and installations inspired by nature. Her mission is to share the beauty she sees in the natural world through her art. Ward has shown her work at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, the de Saisset Museum and the Grants Pass Museum of Art. She has been featured in Ceramics Monthly and Ceramics Now Magazine.
Contact
Gallery@harriscenter.net
Harris Center for the Arts
10 College Parkway
Folsom, CA 95630
United States
