October 12 to November 9, 2018
Making as Provision
Kelley E Foy
Opening Reception: Friday, October 12, 2018, 7 to 9 p.m.
Kelley will be available during the reception for questions and conversation.
Artist Statement
My earliest memory about making centers on a retired neighbor I met when I was six years old, growing up in the former orchards of Arcadia. He spent his days on his carport building wooden pews and rocking horses, which he donated to his church. He used only hand tools. I remember his aged hands with graphic detail. They were swollen and gnarled with arthritis, but he used them so carefully and purposefully with each project. His hands had a sculptural quality from years of use. Looking back, I imagine he often worked in pain, but what was more apparent was the joy his work brought him. Even then, I appreciated that his practice was a solitary one. For whatever reason, he quietly shared it with me, not so much by inviting me into his space as allowing me to wander in, watch and witness for myself the possibilities of handcrafting.
My work cannot be described without acknowledging my lifelong connections with archetypes like him and the stories and identities of past makers and providers. The work in this show focuses on the function of provision and its grace. This show is about functionality with a nod to what that meant in generations past.
About the Artist
Foy began her career as a furniture designer and builder. She worked in the field for over 20 years. This body of work is primarily functional ceramics. Foy earned her BFA in Ceramics at ASU.