HCCC is pleased to present Elevating the Everyday, a collection of works celebrating the humble origins to be found in sophisticated works of art. This silent auction features sculpture, jewelry, and objects created by artists from around the country. These artists, many of whom are current or former resident artists, were selected for their use of materials, sense of design, and impact on the field.
Collecting unique craft objects allows people to surround themselves with functional and decorative artwork that can be used and enjoyed every day. The works people collect become a reflection of who they are—how they see themselves and present themselves to the world—expressed through the special pieces they wear or display in their homes.
Preview this sophisticated and unexpected collection of silent auction items below, and, if you wish to place a bid or purchase a piece at the Buy It Now price, please contact Suzanne Sippel at ssippel@crafthouston.org or 713-529-4848 x 202.
See the items in person at the Crafting a Legacy Spring Luncheon, on Friday, April 29th!
Susan Budge, Punctured Shield
Ceramic, 9 ½ x 8 x 4 inches
Value: $500
Opening Bid: $250
Buy It Now: $600
Longtime ceramist Susan Budge finds inspiration in mythology, illusions, and psychology. Her work allows her to balance concerns, celebrate the unknown, cherish a moment, and anticipate the surprises in life. Creating work from clay, water, and fire, Susan creates sophistication through form and weight.
This gorgeous sculpture, with its silver-like glaze, references ancient shield forms while maintaining a formal sense of modernity. The interlocking strips give a sense of pliability to a solid and unmoving form. Punctured Shield would make a stunning addition to any space.
Jonathan Clark, Post-Synthesis
Paper, erasers, 11 x 11 x 11 inches
Value: $500
Opening Bid: $250
Buy It Now: $600
Jonathan Clark manipulates office materials to interpret the intrinsic mathematical and divine proportions found in nature. The Divine Proportion is the baseline equation for his creative process. Found in nature from the furthest stars to our fingertips, this proportion can be used as a tool for discovery and understanding of regenerative and harmonious forms. Jonathan explores endless possibilities in design and structure, as he explores countless ways of interpretation.
Created from post-it notes and office erasers, Post-Synthesis is an intriguing and playful look at the everyday, the common, and the overlooked to produce a beautiful burst of color in a fresh, spring-like form. This piece is far more tempting to steal than your typical office supplies!
Jeff Forster, Object MTBM
Ceramic, 15 ½ x 8 ½ x 6 ½ inches
Value: $1050
Opening Bid: $550
Buy It Now: $1200
Besides the reference to geologic time, the ceramic object brings with it a connection to human time. Serving as documents of early peoples, ceramic objects mark definite periods of time and specific cultures, making evident the extinction of entire civilizations. All of these concepts comprise ceramic sculptor Jeff Forster’s working ideology. Exploiting the living qualities of natural materials, Jeff enjoys watching and documenting the passage of time.
Formed by using random Styrofoam inserts to create a mold, Object MTBM clearly indicates some details of its origin without revealing the source. Industrial, archeological, reminiscent, yet unknown, this is a true conversation piece for any collection.
Paula Haymond, It’s Getting Better All the Time
Trumpet, 22 x 6 x 2 ½ inches
Value: $950
Opening Bid: $500
Buy It Now: $1100
Paula Haymond enjoys exploring the relationships among color, imagination, form, and texture. She uses a wide variety of hand tools, in addition to the lathe, to create original, one-of-a-kind forms. Originally a wood turner, Paula uses texture, pyrography, piercing, and paints to create sophisticated patterns and forms. In the past few years, she has also begun applying her wood techniques to metal, producing lyrical pieces that beckon the viewer.
Taking discarded, non-working musical instruments, Paula gives them new life by transforming them into unique sculptures. The ornamentation and alterations she performed on this piece give the surface of the horn the beauty of the sounds it once made.
René Lee Henry, Interconnected #1
Brass, sterling silver, resin, 18 inches
Value: $500
Opening Bid: $250
Buy It Now: $600
Metalsmith and jeweler René Lee Henry brings an interesting perspective to her work, through which she expresses the ways in which man-made structures are affected by time and neglect. By framing organic surface textures with stylized architectural lines, she emulates the contrast of order and chaos and demonstrates how the two interact.
Interconnected #1 further enhances this duality by being formed from two pieces of jewelry, a ring and necklace. A few simple materials, incorporated with years of experience and a creative eye, brings you this gorgeous work.
Thomas Irven, Acorn Box
Dogwood, bubinga, 7 x 4 x 4 inches
Value: $600
Opening Bid: $300
Buy It Now: $700
Thomas Irven finds creative balance and satisfaction through the manipulation of forms he produces on the lathe. His designs often grow out of a respect for the rare and aesthetic qualities of the woods he uses. Irven marries his forms to the inherent qualities in the wood, often modifying them with a wide range of techniques, to fully realize his vision.
You can store your acorns, or other small objects, for the winter in this intriguing Acorn Box. Each acorn is its own box, unscrewing from its cap. Cleverly designed to hide the function, this is a marvelous ornament for any home or collection. Warning: keep away from squirrels!
Younha Jung, Over and Over I
Brass, silver, 34 inches (necklace), 3 x 0.75 inches (earrings)
Value: $750
Opening Bid: $375
Buy It Now: $850
Younha Jung specializes in wearable modern jewelry that expresses the emotional impact humans feel when adapting to changes in their surroundings. Her work is often site specific, while remaining universal, as she uses materials and found objects that are commonplace and familiar. Her goal is to reconfigure these items in surprising ways; therefore, a new environment and a place where she can focus on her artwork are essential.
Design, fashion, and comfort are well and truly combined in this stunning necklace and earring combination. Photo-etched with the Korean alphabet, as well as traditional Korean patterns, this set will be a worthy addition to any jewelry armoire.
Younha Jung, Over and Over II
Brass, silver, 19 inches (necklace) 8 ½ inches (bracelet)
Value: $750
Opening Bid: $375
Buy It Now: $850
Lightweight and cool to touch, this sophisticated necklace and bracelet are the perfect choice for the modern look. Photo-etched with the Korean alphabet, as well as traditional Korean patterns, these versatile pieces are a must for any collection.
Wen-Dan Lin, Untitled
Ceramic, 19 x 4 x 4 ¼ inches
Value: $1500
Opening Bid: $750
Buy It Now: $1600
Wen-Dan Lin’s work is about finding solace in the everyday. The act of transforming overlooked objects into artworks serves as his metaphor for how one can find freedom from confining conditions. Clay is a humble material that offers the flexibility to manipulate, providing the ability to disguise itself as other substances. Wen-Dan’s goal is to utilize this quality and mimic ordinary materials to emphasize the beauty of the mundane.
This haunting piece recalls leather and rubber, possibly evoking a sensory memory of smell and touch. The organic lines and meditative form make this piece a serene addition to any space.
Jera Rose Petal Lodge, Triados Necklace in Aqua
Steel, sterling silver, paint, 22 inches
Value: $570
Opening Bid: $300
Buy It Now: $670
Jera Rose Petal Lodge is a jewelry designer who works in steel and silver wire-based artworks. The forms Jera uses are frequently geometric in nature, utilizing patterns and repetition to create bold, graphic shapes. Design and function are her primary concerns, and the strength and durability of steel allow her to create forms that are lightweight and visually delicate, yet sturdy and easily wearable.
Elegant, contemporary, and striking, this necklace is sure to be a big hit. Whether you’re out on the town, or jazzing up a simple ensemble, this statement piece offers effortless style.
Margarita Mileva, Bryce
Rubber bands, 13 x 13 x 3 inches
Value: $500
Opening Bid: $250
Buy It Now: $600
As a trained architect, Margarita Mileva has always been intrigued by different art forms. Shapes, volumes, and colors fascinate her. By using rubber bands as her preferred material, Margarita achieves the feeling of a drawing or painting, with the addition of a unique texture.
Inspired by Bryce Canyon, Utah, this wall piece brings color and texture together. Interestingly, this project also inspired Margarita to create a new body of small-sized works for an exhibition.
Susannah Mira, Magic Stick
Cork and neoprene sponge gasket centers, wire, 37 x 7 inches
Value: $1250
Opening Bid: $625
Buy It Now: $1400
Susannah Mira builds sculptural installations from discarded materials. Her latest pieces utilize massive amounts of machined debris and are monuments to the demise of American manufacturing. The decline of this sector, the financial crisis, and gender and wage distribution in the labor market are all inspirations for this body of work, in which she frequently applies the traditionally feminine arts, such as sewing, weaving, or detailed handwork, in a willful dislocation of art, design, and craft.
Standing tall and seeming to weave as it grows upward, this sculpture is a statement piece for any office or collection. If you haven’t yet acquired a piece from Susannah, take advantage of this unique opportunity–her work is often much larger and installation based.
Delaney Smith, Thank You
Receipts, wood, 28 x 17 x 4 inches
Value: $1300
Opening Bid: $650
Buy It Now: $1400
Delaney Smith is a visual artist working primarily with paper and bookmaking to create sculptures and interactive books. With a focus on aligning process and inherent qualities of material, she explores the ideas of accumulation and transformation through repetition. She finds inspiration in collaborative environments and challenges herself to stay receptive to new ideas and question.
This fun and thought-provoking work is made up of stitched receipts, gathered from a variety of purchases. Sewn together and mounted on a frame, this piece showcases texture without weight.
Sandie Zilker, Wine Wear
Sterling silver, wine glass stems, quartz, 79 inches
Value: $1500
Opening Bid: $750
Buy It Now: $1600
As evidenced by her jewelry, Sandie Zilker is no stranger to experimentation in color, contrast, texture, pattern, and form. Using the body as a frame of reference, she pulls from elements of illusion and surprise to elevate adornment to its fullest potential. Each of her pieces is packed with personality, increasing the wearer’s senses and creating a unique relationship between wearer and object.
Sandie sums up her artistic philosophy: “I’m kind of noisy, and so is my work. There is usually something loud about everything I do or make. Being boring or bored is my worst fear.” You’ll never have to worry about being boring with this long wrap necklace–instead, you’ll just be fabulous!
