Sculpture Space’s First Cohort of 2023

by Cassandra Miller

Kaitlin Santoro picks up her mother’s hand from a shelf. The glass-like isomalt sugar cast is one of the items she brought to her two-month artist residency in the winter 2023 cohort at Sculpture Space. An artist and college instructor who splits her time between Philadelphia and New York City, she arrived in Utica in early February with three other visiting artists eager to embrace the quiet of the Central New York winter and practice their art.

Sculpture Space started in 1976 as one of the first sculpture-specific artist residencies in the world and has hosted more than 635 artists from 35 different countries. The art space is in an old factory that sits an empty lot back from Gates Street in sight of the F.X. Matt Brewery. The building is topped with large orange letters spelling “Sculpture Space,” and its grounds are dot ted with large-scale artworks. Some of the sculptures created here can be seen at the Griffiss Sculpture Park in Rome, which was founded through a part nership with Sculpture Space, a nonprofit that operates with support from grant funding and individual donations. Its September CHAIRity Auction is a major so cial event each year and a big fund raiser for the organization.

Normally, the studios at Sculpture Space are closed to the public, but four times a year they are open for receptions at the end of each of the seasonal two-month residencies. The first winter residency open studio reception is Wednesday, March 15, from 5 to 7pm, when visitors can hear from and see works by Kaitlin Santoro (Philadelphia/New York City), Karla Rivera (Canada), Benjamin Heller (New York City), and Cedric Tai (California).

Kaitlin and Karla were working in the space one afternoon in early February. They had been in town less than two weeks and had already celebrated two birthdays of their cohort of four, all of whom live together in a house a block away. A yellow shark piñata still hung from the ceiling in the center of the space. “I have great studio mates,” said Karla.

Originally from Mexico City and now living outside of Toronto, Karla applied to the Sculpture Space winter residency because she said her work creating functional ceramic pieces is slow this time of year. The round-the-clock access to the space was also appealing to her.

“Having 24-hour access helps a lot. I have tons of ideas, and if you have an idea in the middle of the night, you can just come over and try it out,” she said.

A metal frame prototype of an anatomical heart sits on a desk by the window in her studio. She is experimenting with metalwork while she’s in Utica. Studio Manager George Hendrickson has been showing her how to use the metalworking equipment and sharing his specialized knowledge.

Kaitlin is also experimenting with techniques during her residency. Her work often illustrates the fragility of memory over time. The hand in her simple studio at Sculpture Space was one of three in a 2021 work, “Hereditary,” which included isomalt sugar castings of her grandmother’s hand, her mother’s, and her own, installed oldest above to youngest on the bottom. Water drips from above, slowly eroding the oldest hand before dripping to the hands below.

While in Utica, she is working on a doorway made of ice (if it gets cold enough) that viewers can walk through to explore the cognitive effect of those with dementia who are sometimes triggered by doorways, like her grandma.

“I’m excited to be here because they seem to embrace the nontraditional,” Kaitlin said.

Visitors can see the evolution of artists’ works on March 15th, as well as at open studios during the three other residencies this year: May 15 (Spring Cohort), August 16 (Summer Cohort), and November 15 (Fall Cohort). •

Self-taught

DehmieDehmlow:I’mStillHere

March 10 – March 30, 2023

Reception: Fri., March 10, 3-5pm

Dehmlow collects chance scenes of what resonates with her in aged dwelling spaces and makes pots as configurations of layers, like paintings.

PrattMWP Gallery at MWPAI

310 Genesee Street, Utica, NY (315) 797-0000 mwpai.org

Elemental:ArchivalInkjetPrints

March 10 – April 1, 2023

Opening: Fri., March 10, 5-7pm

Curated by Sandra Stephens and featuring the works of Erika Jaeggli, Allie Tyre and Jeanne Proust.

The Other Side

2011 Genesee St., Utica, NY www.theothersideutica.org

Hours: Thurs: 12-3pm, Sat: 12-3pm or by appointment

Three Exhibits

Through March 26, 2023

Flowers,TreesandRoots:

The

Wild World of Plants

This exhibit explores all manner of rendering plants: their habitats; their shape, form, color and uses; their symbolism in religion; their medicinal properties; and more.

TheArt&ScienceofBotanical Illustration

Juried exhibit of botanical art

Precaria:Disturbanceand Dislocation,SculpturalWorksby JackElliott

Work that express relations between trees, people, and our shared environment.

View 3273 Rt. 28, Old Forge, NY (315) 369-6411 viewarts.org