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feature photo- Keok Lim / Butterfly Book
The Clay Studio (1425 N. American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122), Philadelphia’s preeminent ceramic arts and resident artist’s center, presents Small Favors, opening April 29. Nearly 400 small artworks in four-inch cubes will be on display and for sale in The Clay Studio’s Jill Bonovitz Gallery through July 9, 2023. The popular annual exhibition includes works submitted by artists similar to what they typically create, at a reduced scale, or something entirely new and unique. This year, Small Favors features artworks from Japan, China, Budapest, and across the United States.
To reflect the ceramic art community’s generous spirit, The Clay Studio expanded the parameters of Small Favors to include various types of artistic mediums leading to greater variety throughout the exhibition and different creative methods.
Houston-based ceramicist Naomi Peterson’s “Bon Bon” features a variety of techniques, including coil building and pinch pot construction, embellished with toppings made with silicone molds made from 3D prints. Former Artist and Education Coordinator at The Clay Studio, Nuokan Huang, says she was delighted to have found infinite possibilities and joy in creating tiny pots. Her work has evolved from traditional functional forms into mini-landscapes. Her Small Favors offering, “Small Landscape #226,” represents landscapes from a personal space in which she was free to create, explore, and escape the chaos of daily life. The details in art included in the Small Favors exhibition are unmistakable. Marsha Lederman’s piece, “Little Beaver with Apple,” utilizes an earthy clay color, hazelnut, to emulate the tone of a living creature. The realistic underglaze of the beaver, complimented by a red-glazed apple, is a contrast in surface treatment.
The exhibition features pieces made from wood, metal, glass, fiber, paper, paint, and, of course, clay and vary in form and aesthetics. Small Favors features internationally recognized and emerging artists, allowing The Clay Studio to present works in a broad price range, beginning at $35 up to $3,500. From animals to reinterpreted everyday objects to one-of-a-kind creations, the goal of sharing Small Favors with the public is to encourage art enthusiasts to become collectors while appealing to established connoisseurs looking for smaller, intricate pieces.
“After missing last year, we are thrilled to bring back this beloved exhibition for the 17th year,” said Jennifer Zwilling, Curator and Director of Artistic Programs at The Clay Studio. “Small Favors will have pride of place in our beautiful new gallery this year. Small Favors allows everyone to walk away with a new piece of art from their favorite artist. This year’s offering is the most unique and diverse yet!
For each sale, 50% of the proceeds directly support the artists, while the other 50% contribute to The Clay Studio’s direct programming, including community programs and operations. Their community outreach work has served 35,000 people annually, including 4,000 youth and adults.
All exhibitions are free to view, and The Clay Studio is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
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