Curated by Michelle Laxalt, Jiha Moon, and Carson Keith

May 30 - August 8, 2019

Opening Reception: Thursday, May 30, 6-9pm

The Swan Coach House Gallery is pleased to present The Summer Swan Invitational. The exhibition highlights contemporary craft and craft-based artwork from the Southeast and includes ceramics, installation, wood-turned artwork, textiles, works on paper, sculpture, jewelry, and self-taught art. While some pieces are functional and intended for use, others deny function and exist as sculptural and fine artworks. The work on display is diverse and affordable, perfect for early and established collectors alike.

Now in its ninth year, this year’s Invitational is unique in that it was orchestrated by three co-curators—Michelle Laxalt, Jiha Moon, and Carson Keith—who collectively invited over 60 artists to exhibit. Some of the artists have previously participated in the Invitational, but a majority of the artists are participating for the first time. The artists display an extensive range of aesthetic and material approaches, and their work is unified by the fact that each artist engages, somehow, with the notion of “craft.”

Several artists in the show adopt a “hybrid approach” in their work, making for a fresh and contemporary use of craft-based materials and processes. For example, images are “printed” on clay and textiles, 3D filament is “stitched,” found objects are “collaged” in space, glitter is used as “glaze,” and sliced acrylic sheets and coffee filters are used as sculptural “fibers.” Much of the work oscillates between high and low materials, tight and loose forms, refined and irreverent surfaces. The wide spectrum of materials and concepts in this exhibition blurs the outmoded distinction between art and craft.

Participating artists: Bryan Alexander, Liz Anderson, Rachel Ballard, Maddy Barreto, Dawn Black, Maria Bruckman, Brutal Studio, Jeff Campana, Kelly Cano, Kaitlyn Chipps, Namwon Choi, Jenn Cole, Manty Dey, Gabrielle Duggan, Hannah Ehrlich, Lindsey Elsey, Enchanted Life Goods (Erin Jane Nelson and Jason Benson), Sally Eppstein, Bertha Escoto, Susan Fields, Suzanna Fields, Jessie Giles, Juana Gnecco, Wesley Harvey, Chad Hayward, Kathryn Hunter, Matthew Jacoby, James Jernigan, Wes Jones, Ariel Kellogg, Alex C. Kerr, Chakura Kineard, Christina Kosinski, Michelle Laxalt, Yehrim Lee, Austin Lindsey, Jon Lumpkin, Kathy Abernathy Meliopoulos, Ana Meza and Maria Ojeda, Matt Mitros, Jiha Moon, Katie Murphy, Jason Murphy, Tyler Nicholson, Paris Ott, Kate Pak, Yesha Panchal, Carley Rickles, John Roberts, Liza Romanovski, Lora Rust, Masa Sasaki, Charlotte Smith, Rebekah Strickland, Karen Tauches, Zipporah Camille Thompson, Tori Tinsley, Gregor Turk, Ife Williams, Barb Williams, Elise Williams, Andy Moon Wilson, Stella Wissner

Image: Kaitlyn Chipps, carved platter, ceramic and glaze

August 15 - September 19, 2019

Curated by K. Tauches