Local ceramic sculptor's first solo exhibition brings a mixture of nerves and excitement

Ceramic sculptor's first solo exhibit a mixture of nerves, excitement

Long-time ceramic sculptor Dorothea Calvert hopes to engage the audience with her first solo exhibition, "Praxis." FOX 13 photojournalist Barry Wong gives a preview!

SARASOTA, Fla. - Long-time ceramic sculptor Dorothea Calvert hopes to engage the audience with her first solo exhibition, "Praxis."

"The name that I chose, meaning to do, take theory, put it into practice," Calvert said. "Spoke to the way that I work."

The final work features 27 pieces. Some invoke a fun, playful nature, like two groups of small "pear puns." Examples include "Pear-a-normal" and "Pear-cocious."

"They were really fun," Calvert said. "Just talking with friends and family over dinner and drinks, that was fun."

Big picture view:

Another piece, "Resilience II", memorializes the one plant in her yard that made it through Hurricane Milton. The largest piece, five large spheres called "Prayer Wheel Totem to Plant Earth", posed a unique challenge.

"I had no idea how to build it," Calvert said. "Had a fabulous time going out into the community and finding out what you can get when you just ask."

Some of the nerves are caused by waiting for people's reaction to the work. One viewer's reaction to the piece "Dressed For Battle-437 Days" really stayed with Calvert.

What they're saying:

"This young fellow came over. He was taller, so he said, 'I have the advantage of being able to look down inside of this piece'. He said, 'you know, when I looked down inside of it, I read it like a bank, like a piggy bank slot'," Calvert said. "I just fell apart because it read right into what I was saying. It was about a bank. It's a vessel. People get up every day. They go to work, and they're trying to make ends meet despite the fact that sometimes it's tough, but we go out there and we do it."

READ: "Through The Veil" encourages visitors at the Sarasota Art Museum to walk through the work

Calvert hopes visitors take the time to examine the pieces, read the titles and look for Easter eggs.

"Having people come up to you and tell you what they see in the piece is always such a gift. That's the gift of the show," Calvert said. "I would like them to come away engaged and maybe even inspired to do their own work."

"Praxis" will be on display at Art Center Sarasota until September 27th.