October 12, 2015 | Posted in:Vellum News

 

The complexity of human emotions are beautifully displayed in the delicate sculptures of Beth Cavener. Combining the gestures of wild animals with human nature provides an intoxicating mix that reveals objects of power and substance.  In her work entitled “Trapped” a wolf is attempting to chew its foot off to get free from a dangling rope. Eventually the viewer sees its not the foot that’s actually caught in the trap.  In another “Forgiveness” a green eyed leopard is about to tamper with a fallen wasp nest.  These one word titles give hints but also reference the irony in such human sentiments. The sculptures are made of stoneware which is meticulously carved and painted by Cavener into swirling life-like renditions of these animals. At times the pieces take on an ultra realistic presence which allows them to convey a gripping emotion. This moves the work forward and out of just a static object. The sculptures become living animations which can be viewed from all angles and appreciated for their skill, depth and brilliance. In her statement, Cavener says she’s most interested in what is not said but in the physical gestures in which we communicate our feelings to each other.