Summer exhibition explores nature’s strength and fragility through sculpture

CHEYENNE, Wyoming – Porcelain sculptures capturing nature’s simultaneous strength and fragility anchor an exhibition opening this summer at Laramie County Community College.

"Crucible," featuring the sculptural work of Boulder-based ceramic artist Margaret K. Haydon, is on display June 14 through July 31 in the Esther and John Clay Fine Art Gallery on LCCC’s Cheyenne campus. A public reception is set for noon–1:30 p.m. on June 24 in the gallery and adjoining lobby. Admission is free.

The exhibit showcases hand-built and slip-cast porcelain sculptures, including Haydon’s Tableau series, with intimate cloud-like scenes where bare aspen trees surround a single object, such as a chair, ladder, bed, polar bear or honeybee, evoking stories of solitude and emotional distance. The work draws on natural forms and recognizable symbols to explore how people connect to — and disconnect from — the world they inhabit.

“My work explores the beauty, strength and vulnerability of nature,” Haydon said. “Porcelain is strong but can shatter in an instant. It’s a material that reflects the relationship humans have with the natural world.”

The work draws inspiration from Haydon’s time spent in wild landscapes and her collaborative fieldwork with endangered species, including particularly impactful experiences learning about sturgeon. Her sculptures reference both delicate and enduring elements in nature, with a focus on how emotional investment in the natural world can lead to greater stewardship and understanding.

“When you’re out in the wilderness, you’re reminded how small you are,” Haydon said. “It’s not always comfortable, but that discomfort pushes reflection. It brings perspective.”

Two darker works developed from the Tableau series, “Sorrow” and “Crucible,” engage viewers with themes of conflict and humanitarian concern, marking a new direction in Haydon’s social commentary. The latter also gives the exhibition its name.

But those new themes are not disconnected from her previous work, Haydon said. For her, it’s about awakening awareness, sparking curiosity and fostering emotional investment in the “global crucible” humans find themselves in, whether through environmental degradation or human conflict.

“I hope the work invites people to pause and think,” Haydon said. “If it sparks even a moment of curiosity about a species or a place, that’s enough.”

Haydon is Professor Emeritus of Ceramics at the University of Wyoming, where she spent 20 years as head of the ceramics program. Returning to the state to exhibit her work, she said, is both personally meaningful and an opportunity. While she now lives and works on the Colorado Front Range, Haydon said she feels a strong connection to Wyoming and values the chance to bring her work to a setting where contemporary ceramics and socially engaged art may not always be front and center.

“It’s meaningful to bring my work to a place where it might spark new conversations,” she said.

In addition to the exhibition, Haydon will spend several days working with students in LCCC Instructor Ron Medina’s summer ceramics class. She said mentoring young artists has been a central part of her life, and she sees the studio as a space where students can grow into their creative voices.

“Ceramics is the structure, but it’s really about helping students gain confidence in who they are,” she said. “It’s a privilege to be part of that process, and I’m excited to be in the studio again.”