1878 Gallery
August 24 - November 17, 2024
ArtWalk Reception
Saturday, August 24, 2024
6 – 9 PM
Artist talk at 6:30 PM
These exhibitions are supported in part by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Texas Commission on the Arts. Artist accommodations generously provided by Hotel Lucine.
Carole Smith
Sacred Stones
Sacred Stones features new ceramic sculptures by Carole Smith inspired by Minoan sacred stones discovered at the archaeological site of Gournia on Crete and the artist’s longing for her Scottish homeland. The works result from a transformative experience Smith had at the Mudhouse Artist Residency in Greece in the summer of 2023, which led her to experiment with new forms. The exhibition showcases large and small-scale ceramic works that merge the essence of these distinct landscapes through hand-built clay and experimentations with texture and color. Smith’s fascination with rocks, mountains, and textures is translated through her distinct style which incorporates experimental glazes, diverse clays, and vibrant colors. Smith describes these works as juxtaposing the wonder of a new landscape with the yearning for home, evoking a sense of belonging and longing.
Photo by Trish Badger
Carole Smith was born in 1966 in Edinburgh, Scotland and has lived and worked in Houston, TX since 2002. Smith has taught hand-built ceramics through her business, McCheek’s Studio, in the Houston Heights since 2010. She has participated in artist residencies at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft and the Mudhouse Artist Residency in Crete, Greece and her work has been included in exhibitions at Lawndale Art Center, Houston; Commerce Street Artist Warehouse, Houston; and Plush Gallery, Dallas. Her functional ceramics can be purchased at McCheek’s Studio and seasonal markets throughout Houston, including Craftidote, co-founded by Smith, which takes place each December. With degrees from Camberwell Art College and Goldsmiths University in London, Smith’s work blends tradition with innovation.
mccheeksstudio.com
