Ceramic Animal Forms

At Craft Center

BROOKFIELD — A new two person exhibition entitled “Zoomorphic Clay: Predator, Prey and Play” will open in the Lynn Tendler Bignell Gallery at Brookfield Craft Center on Sunday, June 17. The show features the inventive work of ceramic artists Alison Palmer of Warren and Karen Copensky of Blairstown, N.J. It is a showcase of work that employs powerful, realistic and imaginative animal imagery.

The show will run though August 5.

An opening reception is planned for Sunday afternoon from 2 to 4 pm, at which time the show’s curator and both artists will give gallery talks and answer questions about the work. The exhibit will remain on view until August 5.

The show has been curated by Kristin Muller, a ceramic artist and education director at Brookfield Craft Center.

Alison Palmer’s work focuses on domesticated animal imagery which is often combined with human forms. Her work involves fantasy and whimsy and celebrates the joy of life. Karen Copensky’s work involves animal imagery based on the predators and  prey relationship and other symbiotic relationships in nature.

Both artists share a love of animals and of traditional ceramic forms. The work, though primarily sculptural, also includes vessel forms and combines various hand-building and wheel-throwing ceramic techniques. Both artists also use wood-fired kilns to create subtle, organic nuances on the surfaces of their work which are caused by the aggressive flames that this labor-intensive process produces. Also, each artist employs low fire ceramic techniques to create bright, vibrant colors in their very distinctive work.

Brookfield Craft Center is at 286 Whisconier Road, just east of the four corners intersection with Route 7/202. Regular gallery hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm, and Sunday from noon until 5 pm.

For further information call the center at 775-4526 or visit BrookfieldCraftCenter.org.