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CHRISTMAS AT THE ELMS FEATURES FUNCTIONAL AND SCULPTURAL TEAPOTS |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 15, 2009
Contact: Joy Reed Belt
405/842-6336
jreedbelt@joyreedbelt.com
CHRISTMAS AT THE ELMS FEATURES FUNCTIONAL AND SCULPTURAL TEAPOTS IN DECEMBER
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Forty three functional and sculptural teapots created in metal, wood, glass and clay created by 33 national artists who were either invited or juried into the show will be featured in December at JRB Art at The Elms. The gallery has also assembled a festive array of paintings, sculptures, ornaments, books, photographs and prints on display that have been selected for holiday gifting. The exhibit opens on Friday, December 4, 2009, from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. at JRB Art at The Elms during the monthly Gallery Walk in Oklahoma City’s Paseo Arts District, and continues through December 26th.
Christmas at The Elms also continues the Gallery’s annual tradition of offering accessible treasures by over 40 artists including Carla Anglada, Thomas Batista, Karl Brenner, Jim Keffer, Dorothy Moses, Michi Susan, Denise Duong, Shelley Horton-Trippe, Harolyn Long, Kim Camp, Zingaro, Tracey Harris, Michele Mikesell, John Wolfe, and D.J. Lafon. This year, the gallery will also feature three Christmas trees that have been decorated entirely by artists.
“Throughout its 400 year history, the teapot has been a symbol of cultural and social meaning,” notes Joy Reed Belt, Director of JRB Art at The Elms, when speaking about December’s exhibit at the gallery, citing: “ the early tea trade with China and India, the 1848 tea party that led to the first women’s rights convention, the recent tea party in Washington, D.C. led by protestors against big government, to greeting cards with teapot images reminding us of hearth and home. The teapot has evolved from a pure functional object to a highly collectible art form.”
Jurors for the Teapot Show were Charleen Weidell, MFA, the Chair of the Art Department and Head of the Metals Program at the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) and Barbara Broadwell, MFA, an Assistant Professor of Sculpture at UCO. Weidell, whose work is included in the permanent collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, said she was extremely pleased with the quality of work and the stature of the artists who are participating in the upcoming exhibit at The Elms. “The artists represented in the show have impressive resumes; NEA grant recipients and Fullbright Scholars and many with collections in the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. and the Victoria & Albert in London. Represented here are studio artists, teaching artists, and those that are emerging,” she said.
In explaining the appeal of the teapot for both the artist and the collector, Weidell states “the teapots that were chosen for this exhibit are expertly crafted forms. Many of the pieces have exciting compositions that demonstrate challenges to their function and others that are a harmonious balance between beauty and function. ” Co-juror, Barbara Broadwell, commented that she is excited about the varieties of style and interpretation of a fundamental shape that are present in the exhibit.
JRB Art at The Elms presents a diverse roster of emerging, established, and internationally exhibited artists who create in a wide range of media. This award winning gallery in Oklahoma City’s Paseo Arts District with his historic 8,000 square foot facility and with its dedicated 4,500 square foot exhibition space, changes its exhibits monthly while providing quality art for first time buyers as well as individual, corporate and museum collections.
JRB Art at The Elms, the former home of Nan Sheets which was built in 1920, is located at 2810 North Walker and is open Monday through Saturday, 10-6, and Sunday 1-5. Phone: (405) 528-6336, website: www.jrbartgallery.com , email: jrb@coxinet.net
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© Joy Reed Belt 2010
All prices subject to change without notice - not responsible for errors. Availability, price and shipping charges can be confirmed by e-mail or phone prior to purchase. |
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