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‘Companions’ Celebrates Our Animal Friends and Colleagues

by Aurelia Butler 22 September 2025, 22:58

Misato Sano, “なるほど！ / Oh, I see!” (2025), camphor wood and oil paint

‘Companions’ Celebrates Our Animal Friends and Colleagues

September 22, 2025

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“Play between humans and pets, as well as simply spending time peaceably hanging out together, brings joy to all the participants. Surely that is one important meaning of companion species.” –Donna Haraway, ‘Companion Species Manifesto‘

Companions is a group exhibition celebrating our closest animal friends and colleagues. Featuring works across media by Lola Dupre, Debra Broz, Roberto Benavidez, Misato Sano, William Mophos, and Nicolas V. Sanchez, this show revels in the ways we share our lives with non-human species.

Debra Broz, “Horse Boxer” and “Boxer Horse” (2025), secondhand ceramic figurines and mixed media

Each artist translates their furry and feathered subjects in a distinctively human way: Dupre and Broz distort any realistic likeness in favor of surreal, exaggerated amalgamations, while Benavidez translates a small kitten into the celebratory form of a piñata. Sano similarly gouges small pieces of camphor wood to carve a range of expressive pups, which she then paints in oils.

Although their renderings take a more realistic approach, Sanchez and Mophos utilize substrates embedded within human life, the former gravitating toward the blank pages of a sketchbook and the latter scouring the streets of São Paulo for architectural remnants that become small jagged canvases.

In this way, these artists present companionship as a bridge between nature and culture. They see their companions as being both of their own making–in that any relationship is influenced and created by both parties– and as independent beings with big personalities all their own.

Companions opens on September 27, 2025. RSVP to our opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday.

Roberto Benavidez, “Medieval Kitten” (2025), paper, paperboard, wire, glue, crepe paper, fallen cat whiskers, 5.5 x 6 x 3 inches

Lola Dupre, “Geordi” (2025), paper collage, 12 x 16 inches

William Mophos, “Tom Tom” (2025), acrylic painting on wall fragments in an acrylic frame with cement board backing, 16.6 x 21 x 7.5 centimeters

Nicolas V. Sanchez, “Mariana with lambs” (2018), color ballpoint pen on paper, 5.5 x 10.5 inches

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Fragments of the Chinese Diaspora Converge in Stephanie Shih’s Mosaic Sculptures
by Aurelia Butler 15 September 2025, 20:15
“Toy Building (1915–1939)” (2025), Chinese export porcelain, crowdsourced and found objects, archaeological ceramic fragments from a Chinese fishing village on Monterey Bay (c. 1850–1906), stained glass, ceramic, polished stones, glass rods, resin, enamel, and grout on ferrocement, steel, and polystyrene. Image courtesy of the artist and John Michael Kohler Arts Center
Fragments of the Chinese Diaspora Converge in Stephanie Shih’s Mosaic Sculptures
September 15, 2025
ArtFood
Grace Ebert
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Known for trompe l’oeil ceramic sculptures of pantry staples and domestic life, Stephanie Shih has further entrenched her largely culinary-focused repertoire in material culture. In two exhibitions, the Brooklyn-based artist (previously) embraces mosaic as she nests small glass fragments and pottery sherds into vivid compositions that explore production and labor.
Shih’s architectural work on view at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, draws on the Midwestern grotto tradition with a pagoda-style structure. Broken porcelain dinnerware, polished stone, and ceramic sherds uncovered in a Chinese fishing village on Monterey Bay cloak the facade, while hundreds of crowd-sourced knick-knacks and figures embellish the rooftop.
Titled “Toy Building (1915–1939),” the six-story sculpture reinterprets a historic spot in downtown Milwaukee that a Chinese immigrant owned and once housed a dancehall, restaurant, and various businesses. A collective portrait of the Chinese diaspora, Shih’s work pieces together archaeological, vintage, and contemporary objects into an eclectic array that bridges the mundane and divine.
Detail of “Carolina’s Pride Peaches” (2025), stained glass and cement mortar on aluminum, 18 x 48 inches
The artist continues her more recent venture into mosaic in Invisible Hand, a solo exhibition opening this week at SOCO Gallery. A wide, produce promotional in colorful stained glass, “Carolina’s Pride Peaches” depicts a woman marveling at the ripe fruit. As a statement from the gallery says, Shih directs us to consumption, portraying the luscious commodity once it’s been harvested by an unacknowledged laborer.
Invisible Hand pairs the vintage-style advertisement with the artist’s ceramic fare. Included are typical grocery store finds like a carton of Tropicana and Smucker’s jelly, along with popular fast food remnants like a box from Kentucky Fried Chicken. The seemingly mundane nature of the objects lends itself to one of the artist’s enduring questions: who’s behind the conveniences and sustenance we’ve come to expect and rely on?
As conversations about immigration and labor take center stage, Shih’s work reflects the long history of U.S. policy targeting essential workers. She references the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which barred Chinese immigration for 10 years and largely targeted those who would occupy low-wage jobs. “This act set the stage for a broader pattern of racialized labor exploitation that continues to shape the U.S.’s immigration and labor policies today,” the artist adds.
Invisible Hand runs from September 18 to November 8 in Charlotte. If you’re in Sheboygan, you can see “Toy Building (1915–1939)” as part of A Beautiful Experience: The Midwest Grotto Tradition through May 10, 2026. Explore more of the artist’s work on her website and Instagram.
A collection of works from ‘Invisible Hand’
“Carolina’s Pride Peaches” (2025), stained glass and cement mortar on aluminum, 18 x 48 inches
Detail of “Carolina’s Pride Peaches” (2025), stained glass and cement mortar on aluminum, 18 x 48 inches
Detail of “Toy Building (1915–1939)” (2025), Chinese export porcelain, crowdsourced and found objects, archaeological ceramic fragments from a Chinese fishing village on Monterey Bay (c. 1850–1906), stained glass, ceramic, polished stones, glass rods, resin, enamel, and grout on ferrocement, steel, and polystyrene. Image courtesy of the artist and John Michael Kohler Arts Center
“Kentucky Fried Chicken” (2025), ceramic, 9 x 9 x 7 inches
“Whitman’s Sampler” (2025), ceramic, 2.5 x 9 x 5.5 inches
“Campbell’s Condensed Soups” (2025), ceramic, 12 x 10.5 x 3 inches
“McCormick Spices” (2025), ceramic, 5 x 9 x 1.5 inches
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Steve Keister Conjures Mythological Creatures from Clay, Wood, and Cardboard
by Aurelia Butler 19 August 2025, 14:45
“Moondog” (2024), glazed ceramic and acrylic on wood, 16.5 x 11.5 x 28.5 inches. All images courtesy of the artist and Derek Eller Gallery, shared with permission
Steve Keister Conjures Mythological Creatures from Clay, Wood, and Cardboard
August 19, 2025
Art
Kate Mothes
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From glazed ceramic, coated cardboard, wood, and acrylic paint, Steve Keister summons mythical beings and enigmatic animal-human hybrids. The artist’s current exhibition, Split Level at Derek Eller Gallery, is a survey of work made during the past eight years, glimpsing the artist’s ongoing exploration of Pre-Columbian art and architecture.
Keister’s mixed-media sculptures initially emerged from experiments with salvaged styrofoam and cardboard packing cartons, which evoked the bold, blocky forms of Mesoamerican architecture like Aztec stone carvings and Mayan step pyramids.
“Leaf-Nose Bat” (2025), glazed ceramic and acrylic on wood, 23 x 33 x 6.5 inches
Through ongoing series like Bio Meso, Batz, and Masked Figures, Keister merges painting, sculpture, and craft techniques into three-dimensional portrayals of what the gallery describes as “bespoke deities that pay homage to Pre-Columbian myth.” Some creatures, like “Xoloitzcuintle,” represent real animals—in this case, a species of hairless dog.
Hybrid creatures like “Standing Bat II” and “Coyote Man” tap into oral histories and belief systems that span North America. Bats are historically emblematic of the boundary between life and death. And Coyote, a potent character in the folklore of numerous Indigenous North American peoples, is variously a magician, creator, glutton, and trickster.
Keister’s compositions range from wall reliefs to freestanding, monument-like sculptures to sprawling floor pieces. “At the core of his ethos is a profound interest in human and animal consciousness,” the gallery says. “Keister extrapolates his subjects from Central American mythology to develop a complex ecosystem of mystical fauna.”
Split Level continues through August 22 in New York City. Explore more on the artist’s website.
“Coyote Man” (2025), glazed ceramic and acrylic on wood, cement, 66 x 16.5 x 17.5 inches
“Xoloitzcuintle” (2025), glazed ceramic and acrylic on wood with found object, 25 x 20 x 33 inches
“Red Tabby” (2024), glazed ceramic and acrylic on wood, 11 x 14 x 3.5 inches
“Cosmic Crocodile” (2017), coated cardboard, glazed ceramic, cement and acrylic on wood, 5 x 32 x 55 inches
“Contrapposto” (2024), glazed ceramic and acrylic on wood, 30 x 24 x 4 inches
“Standing Bat II” (2022), glazed ceramic and acrylic on wood, cement, 65 x 48 x 12 inches
“Mictlantecuhtli” (2017), coated cardboard and acrylic on masonite on wood, 37.25 x 41 x 6.25 inches
“Lateral Bat” (2024), glazed ceramic and acrylic on wood, 40.25 x 24 x 4.25 inches
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‘Speak of the Devil’ Conjures the World of Twin Sisters Haylie and Sydnie Jimenez
by Aurelia Butler 8 August 2025, 17:36
Sydnie Jimenez, “Prima,” “Lil Shay,” “Big Tone,” “Cali Girl,” and “Malice” (from left). All images courtesy of Joy Machine, shared with permission
‘Speak of the Devil’ Conjures the World of Twin Sisters Haylie and Sydnie Jimenez
August 8, 2025
ArtPartner
Joy Machine
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Joy Machine is thrilled to present Speak of the Devil, a joint exhibition of ceramic and mixed-media works by Chicago artists Haylie and Sydnie Jimenez. The exhibition runs from August 9 to September 20, 2025.
An expression of endearment and surprise, “speak of the devil” is about manifesting what one desires. The idiom connotes a strange, even magical ability to conjure someone’s presence with a mere mention. Simply say their name and wait for them to appear.
Haylie Jimenez, “In the grass with a flower” (2025), found table with grouted tiled image, 24 x 28 x 23 inches
For Haylie and Sydnie Jimenez, making art is also an act of conjuring. Twin sisters with parallel and sometimes collaborative practices, the artists work primarily in ceramics and share a similar aesthetic, one rooted in narrative and rich with tattoos, piercings, and a generally punk style. Where Sydnie focuses on three-dimensions and builds figurative sculptures and totemic heads, Haylie prefers to etch scenes into flat panels. Both artists act as world-builders, depicting their queer, Black and brown friends and neighbors embracing their chosen kin.
“These groups of people we call family and friends are the best of us and should be recognized as such,” the artists say. “We want to fully acknowledge our wonderful communities and depict them as they should be.”
The Jimenez sisters were raised in the South, first in Florida and then in Georgia, with a Catholic mother. Born from religious fear, the phrase “speak of the devil” originated as a 17th-century superstition of summoning evil. The expression has since lost its sinister meaning, although a surface reading still elicits the diabolical.
This contradiction between a superficial interpretation and reality is one Haylie and Sydnie are endlessly interested in teasing out. They have lived in Chicago for nearly a decade and have found commonality between their adopted city and the South: “both places that often get a bad rep but are so rich in culture, shared histories and positive aspects,” they say.
Sydnie Jimenez, “Curtain Hair Guardian” (2025), terracotta and oxide wash
Speak of the Devil invokes the cultural and social similarities between Chicago and the South. Centering people first and foremost, the artists highlight the vibrant communities that thrive in both regions. Architectural details like Sydnie’s gargoyle-esque sculptures and domestic items like Haylie’s lamps and inlay tables reference the very spaces necessary to establishing meaningful relationships and a community of care.
While celebrating their friends, family, and those who might become such in the future, the artists create a warm, welcoming environment–complete with custom-stenciled walls—that offers an alternative to both oppression and violence and enduring stereotypes proliferated through popular culture and the media. This is their own magical act of conjuring. By visualizing a world of radical acceptance, pleasure, and endless joy, the artists lay the foundation to make such a world appear.
Haylie Jimenez, “Lake Vibe” (2025), multiple glazed ceramic tiles, 25 x 18 inches
Haylie and Sydnie Jimenez, “Te Quiero Mucho” (2025), glazed terracotta, 11 x 12 inches
Sydnie Jimenez, “Jimenez Jersey” (2025), glazed stoneware and rhinestones, 39 x 14 x 6.5 inches
Detail of Sydnie Jimenez, “Jimenez Jersey” (2025), glazed stoneware and rhinestones, 39 x 14 x 6.5 inches
Haylie Jimenez, “Tangled Kudzu,” glazed ceramic tile, 7 x 8 inches
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Xanthe Summers Weaves Themes of Labor and Visibility in Bold Ceramic Vessels
by Aurelia Butler 7 August 2025, 16:00
“The Weary Weaver” (2024), glazed stoneware, 39.4 x 28.4 x 28.4 incjes. Photo by Southern Guild and Hayden Phipps. All images courtesy of Xanthe Summers, shared with permission
Xanthe Summers Weaves Themes of Labor and Visibility in Bold Ceramic Vessels
August 7, 2025
ArtCraftSocial Issues
Kate Mothes
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“Clay is an incredible medium to hold narrative,” says Xanthe Summers, who turns to the medium as a way to explore themes around domesticity, craft, and so-called “women’s work” like cleaning, mending, working with textiles, and caregiving. When it comes to clay, she says, “I think mostly I am invigorated by its ability to hold—to hold water, to hold function, to give shape, to carry stories, and to carry meaning.”
Currently based in London, Summers grew up in Zimbabwe, where she observed inequities within the social structure that mirror many places around the world, especially in terms of gendered labor within the domestic sphere that often goes largely unseen and unacknowledged.
“Common Threads” (2025), glazed stoneware, 23.6 x 21.7 x 21.7 inches
She explains that “many homes have cleaners and gardeners who exist within this ‘invisible’ framework: caring for children, cooking their meals, and sometimes traveling for hours—and their work is underpaid, undervalued, and considered unskilled.”
Summers taps into ceramics, especially the archetypal vessel motif, to join the ever-evolving continuum of the medium. Throughout millennia and across myriad distinct cultures, the earthen material has found endless applications in the home, industry, and art.
“Clay has the unique ability to cross the boundaries between functionality, art, craft, class, and culture, and because of this, it is a vital medium to hold stories about humankind,” she says. “I understand clay to be an archive for the stories of humans.”
The vessels often take on figurative proportions, standing tall on plinths and exhibiting saturated hues, bold patterns, and tactile textures. Some of the pieces crumple, especially toward the top, as if hit with something or caving under some invisible weight.
Installation view at Southern Guild, Cape Town. Photo courtesy of Southern Guild
The artist’s vessels tread the boundary between form and function and delve into another craft often associated with women’s labor: weaving. She describes how everything from the sheets we sleep on to the carpets we tread across to the clothes on our back can be “extrapolated to speak more broadly about domesticity, women’s work, and racialized spaces in Zimbabwe and the Global South.” She adds:
Weaving can be used as a wider metaphor for social cohesion—or lack thereof. This predicament is significant in Zimbabwe but is apparent the world over, where women’s work is undervalued.
Next year, Summers embarks on a trip to Guadalajara, Mexico, for a residency at Ceramica Suro, where she will learn from local ceramic artists, glassblowers, and weavers. And this October, you’ll be able to see her work at London’s 1-54, a fair dedicated to contemporary African art, which runs from October 16 to 19. Explore more on the artist’s website and Instagram.
“Woven Tales Stand Tall” (2022). Photo by Deniz Guzel
Detail of “Woven Tales Stand Tall.” Photo by Deniz Guzel
“By the Pricking of My Thumbs” (2025), glazed stoneware, 39.4 x 27.6 x 27.8 inches. Photo by Southern Guild and Hayden Phipps
“Working Class Femininity” (2023), glazed stoneware, 41 x 19.8 x 19.8 inches. Photo by Deniz Guzel
“Weaver’s Woe” (2024,), glazed stoneware, 22.4 x 19.7 x 19.7 inches. Photo by Deniz Guzel
“Of Woof and Woe” (2024), glazed stoneware, 43.3 x 25.3 x 25.3 inches. Photo by Southern Guild and Hayden Phipps
Xanthe Summers in her studio
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Xanthe Somers Weaves Themes of Labor and Visibility in Bold Ceramic Vessels
by Aurelia Butler 7 August 2025, 16:00
“The Weary Weaver” (2024), glazed stoneware, 39.4 x 28.4 x 28.4 incjes. Photo by Southern Guild and Hayden Phipps. All images courtesy of Xanthe Summers, shared with permission
Xanthe Somers Weaves Themes of Labor and Visibility in Bold Ceramic Vessels
August 7, 2025
ArtCraftSocial Issues
Kate Mothes
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“Clay is an incredible medium to hold narrative,” says Xanthe Somers, who turns to the medium as a way to explore themes around domesticity, craft, and so-called “women’s work” like cleaning, mending, working with textiles, and caregiving. When it comes to clay, she says, “I think mostly I am invigorated by its ability to hold—to hold water, to hold function, to give shape, to carry stories, and to carry meaning.”
Currently based in London, Somers grew up in Zimbabwe, where she observed inequities within the social structure that mirror many places around the world, especially in terms of gendered labor within the domestic sphere that often goes largely unseen and unacknowledged.
“Common Threads” (2025), glazed stoneware, 23.6 x 21.7 x 21.7 inches
She explains that “many homes have cleaners and gardeners who exist within this ‘invisible’ framework: caring for children, cooking their meals, and sometimes traveling for hours—and their work is underpaid, undervalued, and considered unskilled.”
Somers taps into ceramics, especially the archetypal vessel motif, to join the ever-evolving continuum of the medium. Throughout millennia and across myriad distinct cultures, the earthen material has found endless applications in the home, industry, and art.
“Clay has the unique ability to cross the boundaries between functionality, art, craft, class, and culture, and because of this, it is a vital medium to hold stories about humankind,” she says. “I understand clay to be an archive for the stories of humans.”
The vessels often take on figurative proportions, standing tall on plinths and exhibiting saturated hues, bold patterns, and tactile textures. Some of the pieces crumple, especially toward the top, as if hit with something or caving under some invisible weight.
Installation view at Southern Guild, Cape Town. Photo courtesy of Southern Guild
The artist’s vessels tread the boundary between form and function and delve into another craft often associated with women’s labor: weaving. She describes how everything from the sheets we sleep on to the carpets we tread across to the clothes on our back can be “extrapolated to speak more broadly about domesticity, women’s work, and racialized spaces in Zimbabwe and the Global South.” She adds:
Weaving can be used as a wider metaphor for social cohesion—or lack thereof. This predicament is significant in Zimbabwe but is apparent the world over, where women’s work is undervalued.
Next year, Somers embarks on a trip to Guadalajara, Mexico, for a residency at Ceramica Suro, where she will learn from local ceramic artists, glassblowers, and weavers. And this October, you’ll be able to see her work at London’s 1-54, a fair dedicated to contemporary African art, which runs from October 16 to 19. Explore more on the artist’s website and Instagram.
“Woven Tales Stand Tall” (2022). Photo by Deniz Guzel
Detail of “Woven Tales Stand Tall.” Photo by Deniz Guzel
“By the Pricking of My Thumbs” (2025), glazed stoneware, 39.4 x 27.6 x 27.8 inches. Photo by Southern Guild and Hayden Phipps
“Working Class Femininity” (2023), glazed stoneware, 41 x 19.8 x 19.8 inches. Photo by Deniz Guzel
“Weaver’s Woe” (2024,), glazed stoneware, 22.4 x 19.7 x 19.7 inches. Photo by Deniz Guzel
“Of Woof and Woe” (2024), glazed stoneware, 43.3 x 25.3 x 25.3 inches. Photo by Southern Guild and Hayden Phipps
Xanthe Summers in her studio
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Terracotta and Gold Figures by Vipoo Srivilasa Conjure Joy and the Divine
by Aurelia Butler 5 August 2025, 21:09
“Serene Spirit” (2025), terracotta, glaze, overglaze, and gold lustre, 39 x 28 x 15 centimeters. All images courtesy of Edwina Corlette, shared with permission
Terracotta and Gold Figures by Vipoo Srivilasa Conjure Joy and the Divine
August 5, 2025
Art
Grace Ebert
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Joy and the possibilities of creative communion ground the practice of Vipoo Srivilasa (previously). The artist, who lives and works between Australia and Thailand, is known for his ceramic sculptures that take an ebullient approach to life.
Standing between one and two feet tall, Srivilasa’s figures are clad in floral baubles, mandala-like motifs, and gold details, often with their fingers shaped like a V. The lively characters invoke both the mundane and the divine as they portray aspects of the spiritual world while firmly rooted on the earth.
“Inner Goddess” (2025), terracotta, glaze, and gold lustre, 60 x 25 x 13 centimeters
A collection of Srivilasa’s sculptures opens this month at Edwina Corlette in a solo exhibition titled Iconic Figures: Devas, Deities and Divas. Bringing together 15 years of the artist’s practice, the show features both his signature white and blue materials, along with a more recent foray into terracotta, a mix that bridges Srivilasa’s cultural heritages.
Iconic Figures runs from August 20 to September 16 in New Farm, Queensland. Find more from Srivilasa on his website and Instagram.
“Guardian Light” (2025), earthenware glazed and gold lustre, 100 x 50 centimeters
“Heavenly Bloom” (2025), terracotta, earthenware glazed, and gold lustre, 100 x 50 x 60 centimeters
Back of “Heavenly Bloom” (2025), terracotta, earthenware glazed, and gold lustre, 100 x 50 x 60 centimeters
Back of “Serene Spirit” (2025), terracotta, glaze, overglaze, and gold lustre, 39 x 28 x 15 centimeters
“Majestic Grace” (2025), terracotta glazed and gold lustre, 70 x 42 x 15 centimeters
Back of “Majestic Grace” (2025), terracotta glazed and gold lustre, 70 x 42 x 15 centimeters
“Dancing Diva” (2025), terracotta, glaze, and gold lustre, 29 x 14 x 18 centimeters
“Radiant Bloom” (2025), terracotta glaze and gold lustre, 53 x 34 x 20 centimeters
Back of “Radiant Bloom” (2025), terracotta glaze and gold lustre, 53 x 34 x 20 centimeters
“Golden Aura” (2025), terracotta, glaze, and gold lustre, 66 x 33 x 19 centimeters
“Sacred Flame” (2025), terracotta, glaze, and gold lustre, 69 x 37 x 24 centimeters
Back of “Sacred Flame” (2025), terracotta, glaze, and gold lustre, 69 x 37 x 24 centimeters
“Joyful Deity” (2025), earthenware glazed and gold lustre, 62 x 45 x 28 centimeters
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Christina Bothwell Taps into Dream Worlds in Surreal Glass and Ceramic Sculptures
by Aurelia Butler 4 August 2025, 15:10
All images courtesy of Christina Bothwell and Heller Gallery, shared with permission
Christina Bothwell Taps into Dream Worlds in Surreal Glass and Ceramic Sculptures
August 4, 2025
ArtCraft
Kate Mothes
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Youthful and mysterious figures emerge from glass and ceramic in the uncanny sculptures of Christina Bothwell (previously). Animals and children form the artist’s primary focus, often embellished with painted florals, nestled in shells, or encapsulated within bird cages. Her husband and collaborator, Robert Bender, often adds wood elements like deer antlers or spider-esque legs. Tender and also occasionally unsettling, the pieces hint at the surreal stuff of dreams, memories, and the spirit world.
Bothwell’s solo exhibition, Screen Memories, just opened at UrbanGlass’s Robert Lehman Gallery. Presented by Heller Gallery, the show brings together a wide selection of new and recent pieces and continues through September 12 in New York City. Find more on the artist’s website and Instagram.
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Wood and Ceramic ‘Guardian’ Assemblages by Expanded Eye Emphasize Earthy Materials
by Aurelia Butler 9 July 2025, 18:52
Casa Mahala installation. All images courtesy of Expanded Eye, shared with permission
Wood and Ceramic ‘Guardian’ Assemblages by Expanded Eye Emphasize Earthy Materials
July 9, 2025
ArtCraft
Kate Mothes
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Blurring the distinction between abstraction and figuration, Expanded Eye’s recent works explore themes of the divine feminine and “the peaceful power of the Earthmother,” the duo says. Comprising Lisbon-based artists Jade Tomlinson and Kevin James, Expanded Eye is known for characteristically geometric, figurative tattoos and assemblages (previously) that incorporate wood and repurposed materials into bold compositions. Through large-scale installations and framed pieces, the artists explore the possibilities of texture, pattern, and color.
Tomlinson and James have put their tattoo practice on hold to focus on sculptural reliefs. Ceramic, in particular, has become a central tenet of their practice, inspired by the rich tile tradition of Portugal, known as azulejo—an exemplification of cross-cultural exchange. The artists are interested in “using this grounding, ancient material from the earth to depict serene guardians in earth tone colors, to evoke stillness and calm in this fast-paced world.”
“Earth Flow” (2025), glazed hand-cut tiles in wooden tray frame, 58 x 48 centimeters
Past and present converge in Expanded Eye’s compositions, channeling an interest in timelessness and the continuum of clay, carving, and building methods. The graphic elements and fragmented features also call to early 20th-century art historical Modernism, especially the Cubist movement. It’s this “fusion of traditional materials with a unique modern approach that excites us—connecting the past to the present,” the artists tell Colossal.
Expanded Eye is currently working on their largest tile commission to date and plans to further merge ceramics with other facets of their practice. Explore more on the artists’ website and Instagram.
Casa Mahala installation
Detail of Casa Mahala installation
“Earth Mother” (2024), glazed and hand-cut tile panel in wooden tray frame, 117 x 71 centimeters
“Lunar Guardian” (2024), glazed and hand-cut tiles in wooden tray frame, 34.5 x 24 / 13 x 24 centimeters
“Guardians series 3” (2024), glazed and hand-cut tiles in wooden tray frame, 54.5 x 24 centimeters
“Earth Dance” (2025), glazed ceramic tile panel in wooden tray frame, 128 x 71 centimeters
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ceramics

Latest story

‘Companions’ Celebrates Our Animal Friends and Colleagues

More stories

Fragments of the Chinese Diaspora Converge in Stephanie Shih’s Mosaic Sculptures

Steve Keister Conjures Mythological Creatures from Clay, Wood, and Cardboard

‘Speak of the Devil’ Conjures the World of Twin Sisters Haylie and Sydnie Jimenez

Terracotta and Gold Figures by Vipoo Srivilasa Conjure Joy and the Divine

Christina Bothwell Taps into Dream Worlds in Surreal Glass and Ceramic Sculptures

Wood and Ceramic ‘Guardian’ Assemblages by Expanded Eye Emphasize Earthy Materials

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