Sculpting Time
Sculpting Time juxtaposes the permanent properties of sculptures with the transitory qualities of time. From raw to woven clay, site-specific installations showcase a range of ceramic explorations and techniques that reflect the changes and cycles taking place within and around the artists.

J.J. McCracken, a DC area artist, explores the living qualities of clay and ceramic’s impact on civilizations, by encouraging mold to grow on unfired clay. McCracken’s Libation Vessel and Spindle Bottle are based on her research of ancient Iranian pottery forms, and challenge issues of function vs. concept, mass-production vs. one-of-a-kind, and perishable vs. permanent.

The journals of Catherine White offer clues to her creative process. Comparing her sketches to her plates reveals how she transfers her visual vocabulary from a 2-dimensional drawing to a 3-dimensional, functional, work of art. Her journals were also the inspiration for her latest work, Clay Pages, which experiments with ultra-thin, bisque “pages” covered with designs made from clay slips.

Your insights are welcomed! Each artist has submitted a question that they would like viewers to respond to, in a sketchbook next to their works of art. When the exhibition ends, the sketchbooks will be given to the artists. During your visit, take time to read visitors’ reactions to the wide range of works on exhibit, and add your thoughts.

The twelve artists in Sculpting Time reveal clay’s inherent, sculptural qualities while depicting deeply personal, yet universal issues.

Libation Vessel, with Young Rhizopus Hypahe, 2008
image courtesy of J.J. McCracken and Project 4

How You See It
A wide range of contemporary photographs juried by Frank Goodyear, Assistant Curator of Photography at the National Portrait Gallery. In addition to our main gallery, the portfolio gallery featured juried works of middle and high school photographers from the Washington Metropolitan area.

Turning the Page: the fine art behind illustrations
Kaplan and Regional Gallery
In a book, the words and images are woven together. Separately, original illustrations are appreciated as fine art. What makes a children’s book? Do words describe the images? Do images describe the words? View original illustration artwork on display next to their published books.

The Art of the Book
Portfolio Gallery
In partnership with Pyramid Atlantic, the Art of the Book surveys artist’s books, presenting images as the main form of communication. Though some books feature limited text, it is the artist’s images that act as catalysts for the “reader”s” imagination.