Liz Zlot Summerfield 2011
Opened April 30, 2011
Liz Zlot Summerfield hand-builds petite clayworks with exquisite attention to detail. Function in the traditional sense is not her primary concern, as she sees functionality through the lens of collectability, that is to say the object serves the function of being a collectable or the object serves the function of being on display and improving the containing space. Her forms range from abstract sculptures based on sets of spheres to the functionally-inspired such as cups and salt & pepper sets. Much of her work is explicitly on display, atop and within formal structures of metal, concrete, and clay.
This exhibit was on display April 30 - June 4, of 2011.
Available Pieces
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No Longer Available
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More About Liz Zlot Summerfield 2011
I find function a vehicle for expression while also allowing approachability to my work. Creamers and sugars, salt and pepper sets, and lidded containers are my primary subjects. My work is small and intimate in size. These handheld objects are constructed with slabs that softly drape over one another creating three-dimensional drawings throughout the surface of the piece. These lines are kept visible to accentuate the process of the making.
The beauty of utilitarian objects is that they are capable of functioning away from their primary context but also retain their inherent sense of function. A pot, box, or tool may function primarily as a useful object and later retire its usefulness and function as an aesthetic object such as in a collection. In either context, the object has a specific purpose, whether it is to contain or sit among others of its kind. Within a collection, everyday objects gain importance as members of a whole; they start to become more than the sum of their parts and have potential to give value to valueless objects. I view my work as an ever-growing collection, where I am the maker of objects that are similar but also defined by their subtle differences. I draw inspiration from my own personal collectibles such as vintage aprons and hand made boxes. As with many collections I strive to imbed my work with a sense of nostalgia, memory, and past time.