Examine Constance McBride's A Show of Hands

PHOENIX - Nov. 8, 2016 - PRLog -- Shade Projects is proud to present the solo exhibition of Constance McBride with her latest work A Show of Handsin Bokeh Gallery at the monOrchid. Constance McBride creates figures to punctuate the complexity of the human drama. McBride's clay and mixed-media sculptures examine important subjects including the aging process and its affects on the human body. Her work is inspired by landscape and the natural world, most recently being characterized by her use of dry surface treatments and her sculpting method to create contorted forms rather than images of perfection. McBride has found a true connection with sculpture, celebrating the human body through clay highlighting its imperfections creating work that immediately exudes a feeling of tranquility blended with a sense unsettlement, states Shade Projects Curator, Nicole Royse.

The artist skillfully renders the human form in an intriguing variety of work, commenting on the human form and its affects. When asked about her work McBride said, "The effects time has on our bodies and my evolving emotions concerning them are what drive the direction of my work" and gives her the ability to connect with her audience. Her artwork is a brilliant examination of the human body, the nude form, and aging by highlighting the beauty of our imperfections while reminding us that we are all connected, Royse states.

McBride was traditionally trained in the arts receiving her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania. McBride  just concluded her membership with Eye Lounge Artist Collective and Gallery. She has extensively exhibited her artwork across the nation, most recently at the ClayHouston Biennial in TX, The Clay Studio National in PA and in the international exhibition Beyond The Brickyard, at Archie Bray Foundation for Ceramic Arts in MT. Her work has also been represented at the Las Cruces Museum of Art and Udinotti Museum of Figurative Art and can be found in private collections around the country.

Her work has ben featured in numerous print and online publications including the international platform Ceramics Now and her work is featured in the international platform Ceramics Now and the publication Paperclay Art and Practice by Rosette Gault. She was recently included in the 2014 edition of Phoenix New Times 100 Creatives. Phoenix New Times named her solo exhibition "Place out of Time" one of the 10 best art shows in Phoenix in 2015. Most notably, in 2016, she received an Emerging Artist Grant from Contemporary Forum, a support organization for the Phoenix Art Museum.

The monOrchid and Shade Projects curator, Nicole Royse will host the Opening Reception on First Friday, December 2^nd, 2016 from 6-10pm. The Closing Reception will take place on Friday, December 16^th, 2016 from 6-9pm and the evening will offer an intimate event with the artist, Constance McBride and Curator, Nicole Royse. A Show of Hands will be on display in Bokeh Gallery at the monOrchid from December 2^nd until December 26^th, 2016.Please visit our website for more information at monorchid.com and please direct all exhibition inquiries to Shade Projects Curator, Nicole Royse.