Artist Research Paperwork

Mrs. C-Harvey

Date 10/20/16
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AP studio art

Artists Full Name Beth Cavener Stichter

Date of Birth:

25 November, 1972 (age 43)

Place of Birth: Pasadena, California, United States

Primary type of artwork (example: painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics etc. )
Sculptural Ceramics
Media (What materials were predominately in this artists work?)
Clay
Style or art period most associated with the artists
Conceptual art: using the animal forms as metaphors for underlying concepts
Expressionism: the works are psychologically intense
Please list in complete sentences personal/interesting information on the artist. Include education,
influences, experiences etc.
Beth was the daughter a molecular biologist and an art teacher, which contributed to her
use of animal forms and body language to convey her concepts. She originally went to
Haverford College for physics and astronomy but in the last year of her undergrad she
switched to Sculpture and Fine Art. She was an apprentice under Alan LeQuire, and got her
masters in ceramics at Ohio State University. It was in her thesis exhibition that she moved
into the use of animal forms to depict human emotion. Cavener had residencies at the
Archie Bray Foundation and The Clay Studio. She has won multiple awards and continues to
exhibit all over the US.

Critiques:

Title: Tangled Up In You Year: 2014 Dimensions: Figures: 65 inches height, 42 inches length and 24 inches wide.
Installation: 15 feet from the top rope knot to the floor. Materials: Stoneware, ink, paint, rope. Japanese style tattoo
designed with and painted by Alessandro Gallo

Description: This piece is a large ceramic sculpture of a rabbit with its body
tangled up in the body of a snake, held up by a rope. The rabbit is curled up with
the coils of the snake looped around it multiple times. The mouth of the snake is
open and latched on to the shoulder of the rabbit. The rabbits legs are folded
towards its body in the embrace of the snake, but its ears stick up long and straight
behind its head. The rabbit is a muted grey-blue color that gets darker towards the
end of its appendages. The snake is a similar, but more baby blue color with
delicate Japanese tattoos of a slightly lighter color all over its body. The snake has
lateral lines that indicate the muscles as it constricts the rabbit, and the rabbit has a
flowing texture to mimic the softness of fur. The rabbits eyes are large, dark, and
empty as its head is pushed toward the knees.
Analysis: The curling of the form of the snake around the form of the rabbit creates
movement that causes the viewers eye to move all around the piece, as does the
cloud-like texture of the rabbits fur. The piece has an overall circular rhythm to it
that is created by the hunching of the rabbits body and the snake coils around it.
The darkness of the rabbits eyes in contrast to the pale palette of the rest of the
piece emphasizes the emotion of the rabbit, one of calm sadness. In reality, a snake

this size would never have a chance of consuming a rabbit as large as the one in
this piece, but Beth has used the proportion of the two forms to make the rabbit and
snake equally visually interesting, and to change the relationship between them.
Interpretation: The deliberate interweaving of the two forms in this piece as well
as the soft color palette and gentle emotion of the animals gives the work a feeling
of intimacy rather than predation. The embrace, instead of harsh and strangling,
seems to be almost tender. Using what I know about the concepts that Beth
Cavener focuses on, I would say that this piece has to do with the many levels of a
relationship between two people. On the surface, the relationship may seem like
one thing, such as the danger between prey and predator. But when you look
deeper, its actually loving, which leads to the question of what makes a relationship
abusive.
Judgement: I think that this piece is one of lasting importance due to Beth
Caveners ability to use the ceramic medium in such a unique way. In this work
alone the texture mimics the softness of a rabbits fur and the sleek muscle tone of
a snake while still remaining stylistic enough to be recognizable as Caveners. She is
able to communicate her concept in ways that still celebrate the medium and
accomplish seemingly impossible feats (such as hoisting the entire piece from a
rope).

Trapped, 37 in. (94 cm) in length, stoneware, paint, 18k gold, rope, wood, 2015 .

Description: This piece is of a stylized fox with its leg caught in a trap. The trap, a
simple rigged stick and rope, has caught the fox by its right hind leg. The fox is
hunched over, chewing instead on its right front leg. At the end of this leg is a small
gold ring on one of the toes. The fox has swirling fur of beige and rusty orange

colors, and the end of its appendages are a darker, purple tone. Its mouth is open
and clamped onto the leg with the ring, and its gaze is fixed on it as well.
Analysis: The forms that make up the textured fur of the fox create wave-like
rhythm along the body. The curvature of the stick balances that of the fox as it
hunches over its leg, and the rope that joins those two forms creates the movement
to allow the viewers eye to travel throughout the entire work. The contrast of the
ring against the foxs dark fur emphasizes the ring and the fact that the fox is
chewing on that specific leg.
Interpretation: Because the fox is wearing what appears to be a wedding ring and
is still trapped, I believe that this piece has to do with affairs. In an affair, someone,
through their own actions, winds up being a part of two relationships when they
originally pledged to remain faithful to the first one. In the piece, the fox has gotten
itself trapped. Most affairs lead to broken marriages where the adulterer continues
their relationship with the other woman/man. In this piece, the fox tries to chew off
the leg that has its wedding ring, even though if it loses that leg it will still remain
trapped.
Judgment: In my opinion this piece is also memorable. In a society where the
sanctity of marriage is not what it once was, everyone is familiar with cheating one
way or another. The piece is relatable and gets people thinking about why cheating
is so prevalent when it truly only causes pain, and why its usually the marriage that
ends instead of the relationship with the other person. Cavener has beautifully
depicted an uncomfortable subject matter in a way that sticks with the viewer even
after they are done viewing, and thats why I think this piece is important.

Other works:

Obariyon, 3 ft. 10 in. (1.2 m) in length, stoneware, antique hooks, 2013. 3

Netted Hare, from the Four Humors series, 14 in. (36 cm) in height, stained porcelain,

Forgiveness, 36 in. (91 cm) in height (figure), 6 ft. (1.8 m) in height (installed), stoneware

Committed, 21 in. (53 cm) in height (each figure), 6 ft. 6 in. (1.9 m) in height (installed), stoneware, paint, leather,
steel chain, 2015.

Your Eyes Have Their Silence, 13 in. (33 cm) in height, ston

Sources:
http://www.theartstory.org/section_movements.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beth_Cavener_Stichter
http://hifructose.com/2014/02/24/beth-cavener-stichter-and-alessandro-gallocollaborate-on-ornate-sculpture/