Karli Pendergraft has never been to any other planet besides Earth. But her abstract clay sculptures look extraterrestrial — like something you might find in the vast canyon systems of Mars. According to the artist, she creates these otherworldly pieces through a hand-building technique called coiling. “This allows the clay to shift and transform as it comes to life,” Pendergraft explains. She then adds layers upon layers of glaze to create texture and visual interest. All in all, the process is messy, chaotic, and wildly improvisational. “As I work,” the artist says, “the piece experiences the energy I am feeling in real time.” This April, Pendergraft will present a new series of sculptures at the Odyssey Gallery of Ceramic Arts as part of the collective’s spring show. According to Pendergraft, her latest work culls inspiration from dreamscapes — the unique and often fantastical environments we envision when we close our eyes. “I have experimented with my forms and surfaces to create whimsical pieces that could be found in dream-like landscapes,” she says. “I welcome the viewer to explore where their own imagination drifts to as they experience this body of work.” (See feature story on Odyssey Gallery in this issue.)
Spring Exhibition: April 1-May 31
Odyssey Gallery of Ceramic Arts / 238 Clingman Ave., River Arts District, Asheville