Nationally recognized artist and curator Claire Hedden presents Vignettes at the UIS Visual Arts Gallery

The University of Illinois Springfield Visual Arts Gallery presents Vignettes, a collection of sculptural works from Claire Hedden, a nationally known artist and Curator for the Mclean County Arts Center in Bloomington, Ill. An opening reception, that includes a brief artist talk, will take place on Thursday, September 6, 2012 from 5:30-8 p.m. in the UIS Visual Arts Gallery.

Claire Hedden offers three-dimensional works that are, at once, intriguing, provocative, and charming. While the primary material-focus of her work is clay, Hedden incorporates a variety of materials into her work, among them wood, fabric, cardboard, and foam. She develops often ambiguous - yet familiar - forms, which reference time, place, and transition in an effort to mine a range of emotional potential.

“My work captures and animates liminal moments revealing a world in which objects, beings, emotions, and place are interconnected and in flux. Each sculpture’s form is an adaptation or challenge to its surroundings expressing a range of emotions like defeat, defiance, risk, or hope,” says Hedden.

Her careful selection of materials is deliberate and essential to the success of her work, as is her keen awareness of space.

“I utilize wood furniture or construction lumber supportively to provide context of domesticity or landscape,” says Hadden. “Cardboard, fabric, and foam add softness and counteract the density of the wood and clay while referring obliquely to their domestic roles. By interworking these materials, a dialogue emerges portraying physical and metaphorical spaces in our lives.”

Vignettes will open at the UIS Visual Arts Gallery on Monday, August 27, and will run through Thursday, September 27. The September 6 opening reception is free and open to the public. Complimentary refreshments will be provided. To learn more about Claire Hedden and her work, visit her website at http://clairehedden.weebly.com.

The UIS Visual Arts Gallery is centrally located on the UIS campus in the Health and Science Building, room 201 (HSB 201). Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information on Vignettes and future exhibitions, please visit the UIS Visual Arts Gallery website at http://www.uis.edu/visualarts/gallery, or contact the gallery at 217/206-6506 or gallery@uis.edu.