Campbellsville University to host artist Page Candler's 'Sculptural Baskets' exhibition

CAMPBELLSVILLE, KY (11/03/2015)(readMedia)-- Campbellsville University will host Campbellsville artist Page Candler's "Sculptural Baskets" exhibition through Nov. 23 at the Pence-Chowning Art Gallery at 205 University Drive, Campbellsville. The exhibit is free and open to the public including the reception on Thursday, Nov. 5 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

"Clay is my first love but baskets started calling me a few years ago to the extent that I now only use clay pieces as embellishment...I'm blissful learning and exploring this basket thing," Candler said.

Candler worked professionally in clay selling work in juried craft shows along the East coast and has done retail shows along the East coast for 20 years.

Her sculptural baskets are made from natural material that is harvested and then prepared by Candler before the weaving process begins. She works with honeysuckle, wisteria, willow, forsythia and various other materials and tree barks, and incorporates dried gourds, shed antlers and figurative ceramic elements into the baskets.

Two video installations showing Candler's process from a studio visit and the processed materials are also installed in the gallery.

Candler graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a B.F.A. in Craft. She defines herself as a Fine Craft Artist with experience in jewelry, weaving, clay and casting.

"I dabbled in all of those 3-D things. I started off thinking I was going to be a commercial artist. I switched to art education then settled on a craft major," Candler said. She taught at Hill School in Middleburg, Va. for 10 years as she eased into the craft show circuit. She lives in Campbellsville.

Candler is a juried member of Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen and the Kentucky Craft Marketing Program, as well as a member of the Lexington Art League. She is a member of Kentucky Guild, Berea Arts Council and Greensburg Arts Council.

She is also a former member of the American Craft Council and Kentucky Marketing as that is how she made wholesale contacts when trying that approach to generating income.

In 2011, her ceramic sculptures exhibited in the Campbellsville University Art Gallery, previous name of the Pence-Chowning Art Gallery. Her work has also been shown in Texas, Arkansas, Georgia, Arizona, California, Virginia and Michigan.

Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 3,500 students offering over 80 programs of study including 24 master's degrees, seven postgraduate areas and eight pre-professional programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.

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