.RAM Gallery – 614 Kentucky Street, Bakersfield, California 93305
“This collection originated during my residency at The Skopelos Foundation for the Arts in Greece and evolved upon my return to California. Primarily a multi-disciplinary artist engaged in ceramics, drawing, and collage, I initially set out to focus on my 2D artwork. Surprisingly, the allure of pottery persisted in my visual narrative, inspired by the exquisite craftsmanship of Nikos Rodios, a third-generation potter renowned for his family’s patented luster and indelible black pottery since 1930.
Encountering Rodios and witnessing his delicate, refined forms pivotally influenced my work. The drawings I created on the island were infused with his aesthetic, evolving into collages featuring vases adorned with foliage and imagery. Watercolors, texture rubbings of local flora, and depictions of Rodios’s forms coalesced in these compositions.
Upon my return, I further developed the collages, translating them into larger pencil drawings that allowed me to delve into the intricate textures and nuanced values within each piece. The resulting large-scale drawings exude a commanding presence, embodying a sense of strength.
Exploring diverse artistic mediums, I also delved into printing in Skopelos, producing monoprints inspired by indigenous plants. Opting for a blue palette, a homage to the omnipresent hues of the Grecian landscape, particularly the interplay of ocean and sky.
The transformative experience of working in such a vibrant, inspiring environment proved to be profoundly therapeutic. The artwork conceived during this period emanates a spirit of joy, vibrancy, and hopefulness, reflecting the dynamic ebb and flow of life’s ups and downs. Embracing the constant flux and evolution, I found liberation in succumbing to the ever-changing nature of existence.”
Click photo of art to enlarge.
Yvonne Cavanagh 