October 2011: Kim Hamblin & Mark Clarson

Mark Clarson works in sculpture using fabricated steel, cast bronze, aluminum, and cast glass to create large semi-monumental pieces.  Clarson's work often relies heavily on whimsy and humor in his artwork.  In this body of work, Clarson investigates the human condition as it relates to natural history, zoology and Victorian taxidermy.  Clarson will be presenting numerous new cast glass art pieces that are loosely based on taxidermy mounts of specimens from the Nineteenth Century natural history museum world.

Kim Hamblin’s art is a unique blend of paper cutting, painting and nails. The work appears industrial, yet has also a delicate paper feel.  The imagery Hamblin is drawn to is that of the sciences: anatomy, botany, entomology, zoology and the combinations of them. The theme for this show is the natural world and it's connection to the human world, with an added bit of whimsy. She cuts images out of papers, paints them, layers them, glues them, presses them and then pounds them to plywood with tiny nails…lots of tiny nails! She admits “ It’s a bit maniacal, but surprisingly therapeutic.  My favorite part of my work is the way the nails catch the light in the room.”