March 2012 Solo Show

Black, White and In Between

New Work in Polymer Clay by Fran Abrams

Exhibit Dates:  Wednesday, February 29 - Sunday, April 1

Opening Reception:  Friday, March 2 -- 6 - 8 pm

Fran Abrams' work typically involves color and geometry.  Color because the colors of polymer clay can be vibrant in themselves but also blend like paints.  Just as in painting, the proportion of each color in the blend affects the resulting color.  For this show, Fran explored only black and white clay and the grays that result from blending the two.  Her inspiration initially came from Washington politics where it seems lately that everything is black or white and there is no in between.

Geometry is involved extensively in her work because each artwork is composed of shapes and, when complete, all of the shapes fit together on the canvas.  The black, white and gray geometric shapes create abstract works of art that convey a meaning -- sometimes serious, sometimes humorous -- between the artist and the viewer. 

Pieces with titles such as "Oil and Ice" and "Tower of Babel, circa 2011" are inspired by what's happening, or not happening, in the Capitol City.  Others, such as "Snowmageddon," entirely white, and "Six Degrees of Separation," in six shades of gray, comment on other aspects of the place we live.

Fran has been working in polymer clay since 2000.  Her work has been widely exhibited and has won many awards.  Three of her pieces were selected to be exhibited in the first national juried exhibition of polymer clay artwork, "Polymer Revolution," in June 2010 in Lexington, MA.

Oil and Ice, 12" x 12", polymer clay       

Awake at 3 a.m., 16" x 20", polymer clay