FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Suzanne Cada
PO Box 2506
Knoxville, TN 37901
(865) 523-7543
sc@knoxalliance.com
www.knoxalliance.com
Arts & Culture Alliance Presents “Everyday Adorned: A Collection by Paige Barbee”
(02/12/2010/Knoxville) – The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present a collection of new works by Paige Barbee, the current Betsy Worden Memorial Artist-in-Residence at the Emporium Center. Works displayed are among those created during the time of Barbee's residency (October 2009 through April 2010). “Everyday Adorned” will be exhibited in the Balcony at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from March 5-26, 2010. An opening reception will take place as part of First Friday activities on March 5 from 5:00-9:00 PM.
Paige Barbee is from Clarksville, TN, and received her BFA in Metals and Jewelry from the Savannah College of Art and Design in May 2009. She studied at the Lacoste School of the Arts in Lacoste, France in 2009 and has interned at Liz Claiborne, Inc. in New York City where she assisted in designing jewelry for four Liz Claiborne jewelry brands. Her work has shown in France, Savannah, Atlanta, and Clarksville. Awards include third place in traditional materials and processes at the SJTA Atlanta Jewelry Show, Student Design Competition; second place in the Savannah Music Festival jewelry competition. “My pieces don’t always follow the conventions of traditional jewelry; and I often find myself pushing the boundaries of jewelry into fine art and sculpture,” she says. “The concepts that inspire each piece can be vastly different, but it always comes down to how the piece will interact with the body, becoming wearable art.” Barbee strives to use recycled and found materials in her pieces “in harmony with metal,” in a way that isn’t instantly obvious to the viewer and requires a closer look.
The “Everyday Adorned” collection was inspired by the age-old housewife stereotype. “As empowered women we need to be more thankful for what the women before us accomplished,” says Barbee. The collection is a tongue-in-cheek statement about women’s roles in the home and how they once were seen as a kind of accessory to the home. “All of the pieces are an extravagant extension of a household item or were created using an item from the home,” says Barbee. “The cameos are meant to represent every mother, grandmother, or any other strong woman in our lives and are meant to be a reminder of the strife they suffered so we can be where we are today.” The collection features jewelry created from repurposed items such as wallpaper, integrated into items for the home. The jewelry can be worn or displayed as works of art. Sculptures inspired by the idea of adornment are also part of the collection. For more information, visit www.paigebarbee.com or read Barbee’s blog detailing her Residency at http://paigebarbee.blogspot.com.
“Everyday Adorned” will be on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM with additional hours on Saturday, March 6, from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM. For more information, please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance at (865) 523-7543 or visit www.knoxalliance.com.
About the Arts & Culture Alliance
The Arts & Culture Alliance serves and supports a diverse community of artists, arts organizations, and cultural institutions. The Alliance receives financial support from the Tennessee Arts Commission (www.arts.state.tn.us) and First Tennessee Foundation (www.firsttennessee.com).
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