(Bottom Left) Untitled, Mark Freeman
(Bottom Right) Untitled, Jordan Brown
March 2, 2022
Story by Joe Vinduska
Courtesy Photos submitted
The Shafer Gallery will present its new exhibit “Human Nature,” starting March 4 through April 1. The exhibit will feature the artwork of three Fort Hays State University graduate students.
Shafer Gallery Director Dave Barnes said he is excited to be presenting work by very talented artists Mark Freeman, Jordan Brown and Kathy Robb.
“They are all ceramicists with unique and very personal ideas about what you can do with clay,” he said. “Each deal in some way with the connections between the natural and the human world.”
While they all have a different approach to ceramics and the tone of their work is noticeably contrasting, Barnes said there are enough elements in their pieces that complement each other to create a cohesive exhibit that hits a lot of different notes in the visual palate and will leave the viewer feeling satisfied like taking a bite of a complex dish of food and getting all the ingredients on one fork or spoonful.
“Robb creates dioramas to contain her incredibly anthropomorphic animal sculptures which reflect her own identification with animals and how they reflect the human condition in a direct way. They are sometimes humorous and often poignant,” he said. “Freeman has taught ceramics at Barton Community College and apprenticed with well-known ceramic artist Carol Long. His work explores the minutiae of the natural world populated with entities that are beyond our normal awareness. Brown is the master of the wheel and adorns his monumental feeling pieces with iconic images form the natural world.”
While touching the artwork is obviously not permitted, Barnes said the textures brought to life by the artist are created with such care and detail that they produce an almost tactile sensation in the mind alone.
“It is a great privilege to show off the work of such strong emerging artists,” he said. “Their selections will be a delight for us all to see and an inspiration to our own Barton Community College students.”
The Shafer Gallery is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is always free. For more information, contact Shafer Gallery Director Dave Barnes at barnesd@bartonccc.edu or (620) 792-9342.
