A Gift from an Artist.

Art that can take you away, make you uncomfortable, make you daydream, want to hold or caress, feel pity or helplessness, or a need to help or save is something I found in one artist installation recently.

On my first visit to Art Miami this past December there were a handful of artist that even after a few months I am still contemplating their work.

Beth Cavener Stichter shown at Claire Oliver here in NYC is definitely on the top of my list of Artist I am following. Her installation in Miami "The Four Humors" was beyond moving.

"There are primitive animal instincts lurking in our own depths, waiting for the chance to slide past a conscious moment. The sculptures I create focus on human psychology, stripped of context and rationalization, and articulated through animal and human forms. On the surface, these figures are simply feral and domestic individuals suspended in a moment of tension. Beneath the surface they embody the impacts of aggression, territorial desires, isolation, and pack mentality."

Beth Cavener Stichter

"I want to pry at those uncomfortable, awkward edges between animal and human."

"Something conscious and knowing is captured in their gestures and expressions. An invitation and a rebuke."

Take a look at Beth's website, particularly the "Materials and Techniques."

Beth's passion for the material and the "sensitivity to touch," shows in her work and inspires you to look a little longer and maybe even feel the need to caress the form. I believe one of the best gifts from a sculptor or one of the best compliments too a sculptor is when one feels the need to reach out and touch the creation.