Divine Fragments
Wendy Liss
She/ Her
Bio
Wendy Liss creates one-of-a-kind handbuilt ceramic sculptures that delve into the formal elements of line, form, texture, color and composition. Drawing inspiration from nature, architecture and the human figure, her work emphasizes contrasting elements such as smooth and textured, gloss and matte, organic and geometric.This interaction of opposing forces
embodies the physical essence of her work. Liss uses tinted clay in order to reveal the material’s natural surface, allowing the inherent beauty of the medium to shine. Her studio practice relies on a balance between conscious intention with spontaneous response, bringing a sense of immediacy and vitality to each piece.
Liss graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and an Art Education certificate from Moore College of Art in Philadelphia. She has worked in fine art restoration, interior design, and the curation of local art exhibitions. Liss has sculptures in public and private collections and currently teaches “Find Your Edge” at the Community Arts Center in Wallingford, Pennsylvania.
Statement
“I am inspired by the mystery in the act of creation. How does the intangible become tangible? What are the possibilities and limitations to what can be expressed in physical form? How does the creative process reflect life itself?
My process engages these questions by balancing contrasting dynamics — intellect and intuition, action and reflection, control and surrender. I follow my body's natural rhythms and tactile responses to the malleable clay to create hand-built ceramic sculptures and sculptural vessels that strive to convey a sense of gestural movement, as in dance or a splashing wave.
Forms emerge out of raw and refined edges that contour shifting, folding, and concrete planes. I love working three-dimensionally because every time I flip or turn a sculpture another world opens up to me. Responding to these shifts in the present moment becomes a meditation on how perception is shaped by perspective. I approach each sculpture, as I do my life, creating a balance between intention and intuitive response in the moment. The finished sculpture ultimately evolves out of that back and forth between creator and creation.”
Dolores Poacelli
She/Her
Bio
Among many awards, in 2024 and in 2011 I was the recipient of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts Fellowship for Painting, and in 2000 awarded the Samuel Flesher Challenge Exhibit in Philadelphia.
My work has been exhibited widely and is part of many public and private collections such as SAP Software in Germany, Bank of American in Delaware, Cooper Anderson Hospital in Camden NJ, New York Presbyterian Children's Hospital in NY, Park Towne Place in Philadelphia, Liberty Properties in Malvern PA, Murano Condominiums in Philadelphia, Psychology Dept. of Princeton University in NJ and the State of New Jersey.
I have studied at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and Fleisher Art Memorial, and have worked for many years as a graphic designer.
I have been teaching art for 14 years at Perkins Center for the Arts.
Statement
“BODY LANGUAGE was a series I did after a long absence from my studio. Not knowing what
I would do i decided to start at the beginning - human Mark Making.
Adding collage scraps to the graphite line work I soon realized the references and the
underlying suggestions of the human form, the female form in the history of art, all infused with satire.
The simplicity of the drawing and collage create anthropomorphic shapes that express what we feel like instead of what we look like.”
“The HYBRID Series appeals to my scavenger/repurposing side. Everything is fodder.
These are acrylic, graphite and collage over unsuccessful prints. The underlying history creates layers and textures in the challenge of seeing one form of art become another while keeping it simple and impactful. As I work I muse over the thought that using collage is maybe an effort to cover up the past, the mistakes and the truths.
Whatever keeps you working.”
