Group exhibition opens at the Folk Art Center
For mixed-media sculptor Theresa Clower, the spark of creation comes from uncovering what’s usually unseen. Her making process involves skeletonizing New Zealand flax leaves to expose the delicate lattices hidden within and then pairing those forms with steel, wood, or clay to build sculptures rooted in grace and restraint. “I’m endlessly fascinated by what lies beneath the obvious — those hidden frameworks in nature that reveal themselves through time and transformation,” she says. “When I discovered how a simple flax leaf could become something extraordinarily beautiful when skeletonized and pressed, it opened up a whole world of possibilities for me.” Clower’s most recent work expands two ongoing investigations — one capturing motion through still form and another embracing rusted metal as “time made visible.” Each reflects her belief that change is both inevitable and unexpectedly beautiful. Her newest sculptures will appear in Curves Ahead, an exhibition at the Folk Art Center featuring five members of the Southern Highland Craft Guild whose work explores the movement and flow of organic materials. The show opens in early January.
Curves Ahead: January 3-March 22, 2026
Folk Art Center / Milepost 382, Blue Ridge Parkway / southernhighlandguild.org