ArtBeat: Thaddeus Powers, Meg Oliver, Kyla Toomey and Stacey Esslinger @ Tom Myott Gallery
Thaddeus Powers, the initiator of this particular collaborative show, with a studio located on-site at the Glens Falls Shirt Factory, has circulated in the region for the last several years since graduating from Alfred in 2003. Apprenticing with Regis Brodie at Skidmore College, assisting with ceramic wheel-throwing classes in South Glens Falls and setting up shop in the renovated Shirt Factory facility, Powers has been developing a presence in the region. His finely crafted work has drawn attention from local potters, aficionados and consumers of handmade tableware.
For this exhibition Powers has called in some fine friends to deliver a welcome shot of vitality to the local scene. Each of them employ forms, color bursts and various layering strategies indicative of a strong background in historical ceramics and complimented by an eye for contemporary design.
Powers’ pieces are handsome and bold with variations of strict pattern and loose brushwork. These simple, generous forms act as strong palettes for extensively patterned surfaces of deep gold, russet orange and light blue. The fleur-de-lis motif repeats throughout much of the work and Powers states, “Pattern has the ability to transcend cultural and lingual barriers”. Power’s personal vision stands out most clearly in his fat-spouted teapot forms.
Meg Oliver, currently residing in Woodstock, NY, serves on the general staff of the Hudson Valley Pottery, Rhinebeck NY. Her interest in handmade pots stems from ‘their quiet revolutionary nature’. Water lilies and tiny, bright woodland flowers are called to mind in the best of Oliver’s work though much of it suffers from technical self-consciousness and lack of design cohesion. More time, experience and attention to details of craftsmanship can remedy these issues quickly.
Located in the Glens Falls Shirt Factory building, The Tom Myott Gallery is a beautifully designed and installed exhibition space. All aspects have been carefully conceived and finely executed on par with, though much smaller than, standard Chelsea galleries in NYC. The high-quality current show offers local audiences a sample of current, original work in contemporary studio pottery.
Take advantage of this fine pre-holiday exhibition while supporting a gem of a gallery today; you will be greeted by a warm, friendly local doing his part to keep Glens Falls thriving.
Tom Myott Gallery
Exhibit Dates / October 30th – Dec 23rd
Gallery Hours:
Thursdays thru Saturdays
12pm ~ 7pm or by appointment
Review by Liz Howe, a Saratoga Springs artist who was recently featured in Ceramics Monthly.
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