FLORA/FAUNA
by Molly Altman & Ashley Banegas
On display in the CCC Gallery
June 14th - July 12th, 2024
First Friday Reception
July 5th | 6-8PM
This exhibition showcases the work of CCC’s 2023-24 Resident Artists, blending traditional ceramic techniques with innovative artistic expression to bring to life the vibrant diversity of plant and animal life.
Exhibition generously sponsored by:
MOLLY ALTMAN
EXHIBITION STATEMENT
Forms appear everywhere in nature, guided by the often unseen properties of circumstance and time. The Southwest is a landscape comprised of form– the sharp angles of a mountain, the soft curve of a river, the complex patterning of growth, the mass of an Aspen stand… These shapes and configurations provide us with a common lexicon through which to understand our surroundings.
In this series, hand-built sculptures explore this language of form through references to symmetry and balance, the irregularity found in growth patterns, and the formations achieved through processes of time. An assemblage of botanical life, sourced from within the Roaring Fork Valley and dipped in porcelain to create individual castings, has been configured to reflect a reimagined version of the local ecology. The recontextualization of a familiar floral landscape challenges our perceptions of natural surroundings and reveals hidden associations within our relationships to the environment.
A mixture of materials, including glass and sheep’s wool, are situated in dialogue with clay and speak to the complexity of our interwoven ecosystems. These sculptures represent my first foray into the exciting realm of mixed media sculpture and reflect my responses to the landscape of Colorado in my first year as a Carbondale resident. They celebrate the possibilities within a common vocabulary of form and seek to capture the intangible qualities of awe that make up the emotional bond of humans to nature.
Many thanks to Jacqueline and Dylan Balderson, TJ Ossola, Jan Johnson, Jill Johnson, and Matt Johnson.
For Barry (1952-2024)
BIOGRAPHY
Molly Altman began working in clay in her hometown of Amherst, Massachusetts. In 2019, she obtained a BA in ceramics from Bennington College in Bennington, Vermont. Her experience includes an internship with Studio Potter Journal in Easthampton, Massachusetts, an apprenticeship to Noel Bailey in Waitsfield, Vermont, a position as a technical assistant to Kenyon Hansen at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Deer Isle, Maine, and a production potter position at Mark of the Potter in Clarkesville, Georgia. She has made work as a resident artist at Green River Pottery in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Recipiente Estudio in Mexico City, and Cobb Mountain Art and Ecology in Loch Lomond, California. Molly is currently an Artist in Residence at the Carbondale Clay Center in Carbondale, Colorado
ASHLEY BANEGAS
EXHIBITION STATEMENT
In FLORA/FAUNA each rabbit sculpture stands as a symbolic representation of my eclectic thoughts and fragmented memories, creating a chaotic yet intimate exploration of life and my priorities. Finishing the surface with spray paint as a bratty act of defiance of the glazing process as well as vandalizing the softer nature of each creature—a raw, unfiltered release of the inner rage monsters that demanded a voice in my creative process. It is a celebration of rebellion against conventional norms and a joyful plunge into the boundless possibilities of imagination.
My journey into this series started with a singular goal: to have fun. I discarded the rules and technical guidelines that once constrained my art, and instead, embraced the chaos and unpredictability of my inner child. Each rabbit became a canvas for random, fleeting thoughts, inspired by the whimsical and often disjointed musings that flutter through my mind.
Through this exhibition, I hope to share the joy and freedom I found in abandoning convention and following my creative instincts. FLORA/FAUNA is an invitation to let go of the need for order and to revel in the beauty of the unexpected. It’s about finding pleasure in the journey and recognizing that sometimes, the most meaningful experiences come from letting our inner whims lead the way.