Artists to Know: on Terra Firma

Terra Firma has come and gone at Art Share, a terrific show that closed October 16th, one that we wish had stayed around longer – at least long enough for us to give the show itself it’s due.

Like so many exhibitions at Art Share this was a group showthat reveled in carefully curated works by a variety of stellar artists:

Raudel Arteaga
Chelsea Bayouth
Kate Carvellas
Sarah Fulton
John Gauld
Carlos Grasso
Randi Hokett
Vincent Mattina
Jennifer Susan Jones
Abbie Weinberg

The use of clay and of dynamic materials that are of the earth, created a truly fascinating show, a cohesive mix of materials that each artist made malleable. We were fortunate enough to interview two of the artists, both of whom have upcoming shows – don’t miss them.

Randi Hokett will be participating in a group show opening November 19th, and running through January 21st, New Dimension, at the Irvine Fine Arts Center. We can’t wait to see what this fine artist will be displaying.

At Art Share, Hokett’s stunning work with crystals lures viewers into a fairy-tale world that dazzles and dances with light. Creating her own crystals, she’s found that “Water is boiled, molecules open, and water accepts the minerals – then the crystals grow best through a cooling period. A piece has the best growth in the first 24-hours,” she reports.

The science of her creations aside, Hokett creates startling, jeweled beauty that evokes wonder, awe, and a poignant reminder of that which is permanent and that which dissipates. Hokett started working in this format in January of last year. “Before that I worked in dry wall and wax,” she explains.

Hokett’s work is raw and beautiful. The sharp textures of the crystals and the softness of the wax surfaces used in these pieces seems almost impossible to achieve, both delicate and strong, fragile and fantastic.

“I was amazed at the beautiful things that grow out of the damages we accrue in life. I started building crystal sculptures out of cracks. I did some tests and it was kind of awesome. I started creating one piece a week. For me, what’s cool is to do something new.”

Work this fresh and vibrant is cool indeed.

Kate Carvellas began creating her wonderful artwork assemblages out of found objects, but now also creates work made entirely from her own hand.

Carvellas says the above piece, “The Beauty and Sorrow of Untapped Potential,” has “special meaning because so many of us have lives that didn’t necessarily go the way we thought they would. It represents the hope that we can still be and do that which will bring us joy and fulfillment.”

To the viewer, Carvellas has created her own language and patterns, containing what could be artifacts from a lost time or alien musings on humankind. The enigmatic patterns invite study, they are both intimately familiar and yet mysteriously wonderful.

Above, “End Game,” pulls viewers into a new dimension, where common objects when combined create a riveting sculptural montage. Below, more great fusion, a touch of Steam Punk, a graceful combination of elements. There is a mute poetry in her work, a whimsical flourish that fuses smoothly with a sense of gravitas: respect for objects, respect for the weightiness of the earth and the lightness of imagination.

The Pasadena-based artist describes her art as “an essential and intensely personal part of my life. It is my hope that when people see my work, it will somehow resonate with them on some level, be it intellectual, emotional or spiritual.”

Kate Carvellas will be featured in a solo show at The Gallery at the End of the World in Altadena in June 2017, and will have work in Gabba Gallery’s Wishlist coming up this November. Don’t miss her.

Above, Carvellas with author, and Carvellas with artists Anna Stump and Ted Meyer.

As to Art Share – be on the look out for their next offering, Mirrors of the Mind, opening November 5th. The gallery is located at 801 E. 4th Street in the DTLA Arts District.

• Genie Davis; Photos: Genie Davis