Shop Exhibit

A New Exhibit Featuring Works by Tom Bartel & Rachel Clark

On View February 21 - April 11, 2026

Tom Bartel   --   Artist Statement:
Nearly every culture and civilization has posed challenging questions through the creation of human objects. I see ceramics as a tool for confrontation, where artists use this ancient and versatile medium to make commentaries on the human condition.
I draw inspiration from research spanning from antiquity to popular culture, kitsch, and the grotesque. My work is constructed to refer to stylized surrogates for the body, such as dolls, toys, figurines, and other vernacular forms of the human figure. I am interested in the fragmentation, simplification, and exaggeration of the human form, especially how these choices may elicit engagement and empathy. The notion of “the fragment” is both powerful and timely. It can be argued that the figure gains legitimacy as a subject by having something missing from it. I invite the viewer to consider that which is absent, modified, or “abnormal” as being as significant as that which is usually present or “normal.”
A significant aspect of my work stems from the rich ceramic surfaces I continue to develop. I view the surface of the work as the connective tissue between its content and form, where I see my role as artist/craftsperson as a “conduit” between materials and ideas. My attraction to heavily worn surfaces is a byproduct of growing up within a midwestern rust belt landscape, where I viewed such surfaces as formally beautiful while also serving as a poignant reminder of how everything is affected by the passage of time. I develop surfaces by layering and washing away varying degrees of vitreous slip, glaze, underglaze, terra sigillata, and oxides. Via material and process, I aim to reinforce the content of my work through its outermost “skin”. Within this context, I view the marks I make on the figure as corporeal signs for the many ways humans are affected by the passage of time and the accumulation of experiences.
A lifetime of work devoted to examining these themes has provided me with evolving creative threads and ongoing motivation for my studio practice. These powerful, human themes have become more personal as I observe myself and those around me age.

Rachel Clark   --   Artist Statement: 
I am deeply intrigued by people, their stories, and the nuanced narratives their faces can reveal through portraiture. I embarked on a playful exploration of inventing portraits that reflect a paradoxical inner world, capturing raw and sometimes grotesque human moments akin to a sudden sneeze or scream. I weave tales inspired by humorous childhood memories, American stereotypes, and imaginary companions through these invented characters.

One of my most cherished narratives revolves around a group of drag queens who affectionately dubbed me their "token mom friend" - "Queen". Another story follows a serene Nordic blonde duo who pursue professional wrestling. I pondered the challenge of capturing expressions like a death metal howl, an intense yawn, or a scream—faces frozen in those fleeting, emotive moments, adorned with sunburns, bulging eyes, and open mouths. I was particularly drawn to viewing such expressions from a child's perspective—gazing up at a yawning or sneezing adult.
Beneath my work's unconventional exterior lies a profound respect for the rich history of painted portraiture, albeit hidden beneath layers of defiant formal choices that break conventional rules. The oversized faces boldly occupy the picture plane, often engaging the viewer with a confrontational gaze or appearing trance-like, lost in contemplation or horror. The square format evokes a yearbook-like collection, adding to the sense of narrative playfulness and whimsy— accentuated at times by the inclusion of googly eyes.