LCCC exhibition explores memory and nature through sculpture

CHEYENNE, Wyoming – Ceramic sculptures shaped by memory, sensory experience and the natural world will fill the Esther and John Clay Fine Art Gallery at Laramie County Community College this fall.

Presented through the Ed & Caren Murray Art Series, “Bronwyn Minton: Object and Memory” will be on display Aug. 10-Sept. 9 in the Esther and John Clay Fine Art Gallery on LCCC’s Cheyenne campus. The exhibition is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

A public artist talk is set for 6 p.m. Sept. 9 in the Surbrugg/Prentice Auditorium, followed by a gallery show at 7 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public.

Visitors will encounter a large ceramic sculpture installation along with several smaller individual works. Minton creates ceramic sculptures as a way to document memories, often drawing from fleeting sensory experiences such as the smell of flowers in the wind, the temperature of the air or the feel of rocks and bark.

Working intuitively, Minton hand-builds individual ceramic forms that eventually become part of a larger whole. Although she has worked in many media, she has increasingly focused on clay because its pace and physical qualities require close attention.

“In the last few years I have gravitated to clay and ceramic works because, as a medium, clay helps me slow down, be more present, and it has its own timeline that I have to be attentive to,” Minton said.

The exhibition also reflects Minton’s continuing interest in how people experience nature and how easily that connection can be weakened. Her works build upon one another over time, creating an ongoing conversation around memory, landscape and people’s place within the natural world.

“As humans, we are part of the natural world, but I believe that we are often very disconnected from experiences in nature,” Minton said. “I am not sure how we can keep or create new connections, but I think it is an important thing to bring to the front of dialogue and human-ness.”

During her visit, Minton will also meet with LCCC art students to discuss her work and encourage their artistic development.

The Ed & Caren Murray Art Series is part of the LCCC Foundation’s Cultural & Community Enrichment Series, which brings artists and performers to campus through donor-supported endowments managed by the LCCC Foundation.