Artist to bring ‘dream-like’ ceramic show to Joliet gallery

The Strange and Unusual Gallery’s first ceramics show won’t feature any vases, bowls or other kinds of tableware or pottery.

Rather, the downtown Joliet art gallery will be filled with the dreamy, eclectic sculptures and figurines of artist Robin Power in her show “Welcome to My World,” which continues through March 23.

“[Power] does hand-pulled ceramics – no molds, one-of-a-kind pieces – that are stunning,” said Christine Nordstrom, owner of The Strange and Unusual Gallery. “She’s doing very intricate faces, very interesting creatures, posable dolls, all ceramics. It’s very dream-like, not what you think when you think ‘ceramics.’ This is [a] very daydreamy, artistic, ‘Alice in Wonderland’ kind of effect. Just gorgeous stuff. I think people will love it, the work is something different and something we’ve never shown.”

This is the gallery’s first ceramics exhibition. And like all of the gallery’s shows, it’s not just going to be artwork hanging on a wall or set on a display. The shows are completely immersive, bringing the audience directly into the artists’ worlds.

“It’s a strange and unusual place for all things fun. We don’t offer paintings of beautiful landscapes. We like to do anything we can to make your imagination soar, and bring you into a world of art,” Nordstrom said in a previous Shaw Local feature story.

The exhibit will include Power’s table, her wheel and photos and pictures that are on the wall in her studio, in addition to about 100 pieces that will be on display and available for sale.

“The Strange and Unusual Gallery has taken on the monumental task of recreating my studio,” Power said. “The show will give viewers the insight and raw honesty to a working artist’s space. By far, this is the most work I have exhibited in one space.”

Power said she prefers to create her pieces with clay, which she described as the “Earth’s crust, which contains stardust.”

“We also contain stardust. This is why it makes sense to me to create figurative work,” Power said. “Clay is full of endless possibilities, you never get exactly the same results twice due to firing clay. The simplest explanation of ‘firing’ clay is that you are turning a liquid into a stone. It just doesn’t get any better than that.”

“Welcome to My World: The Work of Robin Power” is open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays through March 23.

After Power’s exhibition closes, work begins on the gallery’s next show, which will feature artist Antonio Padilla. “Top Shelf Vandalism,” which opens in May, is Padilla’s second show at The Strange and Unusual Gallery.

“He is doing a small series of pieces, about 20 which are recreations of cult-classic movies done on thrift store and garbage-picked paintings,” Nordstrom said. “He’s painting over older paintings and incorporating those backgrounds into the movies. He has ‘The Shining,’ ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Heathers’ and more. He’s got some great pieces going.”

The Strange and Unusual Gallery is located at 34 W. Clinton St., Joliet. For more information, visit strangeandunusual.hopestreetwoodworks.com.