Not all that far from our state's capitol is a lovely rural town named Paoli. Its historic buildings predate the Civil War. Today, many of the old structures have been reclaimed, renovated, and transformed into galleries that represent the work of artists from all over the country.
My family and I made Paoli our destination visit yesterday. We ate lunch along the Sugar River at Paoli Creamery Cafe (aptly named, as the restaurant occupies a portion of the town's old Creamery building). And spent quite a bit of time in the adjacent Artisan Gallery. Yes, I bought a piece of jewelry -- a necklace made by Kim Caisse. After concentrating on the jewelry, we leisurely took in the sculpture, paintings, textile work and other beautiful pieces in the gallery. I was particularly intrigued by a series of metal sculptures made by Miel-Margarita Paredes. Entitled "Gnaw," the artist's statement says that the work investigates "... the way we regard some animals as noble or ornamental, and others as worthless or disposable." For Paredes, rodents were the perfect subject to explore that kind of duality. (Note of disclosure: I have a pet hamster).
The scale of these pieces are roughly in the door-knob sized category. And I'm sure that is no coincidence. Paredes points out that rodents are likely to be found in homes and buildings (welcome or not), but are not often seen as architectural ornamentation.
The second gallery we visited was the Paoli House Gallery. I was immediately drawn to a pedestal supporting the work of Nissa Kubly. Her fabricated brass pin hole camera and related jewelry pieces have a refined steampunk vibe that I can't resist. No doubt, I'll be making another trip back to Paoli this Fall!
Do you like to take "art field trips?" If so, what are some of your favorite spots? Cheers, Jill ;)