NEW GROWTH – Works by Valerie McCaffrey
An Exhibition of Fresh Planters & Beyond
Shop Maine Craft presents a solo exhibition of original works by Garden Guardians artist Valerie McCaffery at Maine Craft Portland.
Come see the beautiful concrete-cement sculptural wall art and planter forms of Valerie McCaffrey in celebration of Spring! Valerie, also maker of Garden Guardians planters, creates themes pertaining to consciousness and flow throughout the pandemic. The work feels to emerge out of nature into a whimsical narrative form. From wall art to garden planters, this exhibition brings a wonderful selection to pick from for your garden or home.
Join us for the opening reception with musical guest David Yearwood-Solo Bass Electrix.
On View: April 1 – 30, 2022
Opening Reception: April 1, 5-8p
Maine Craft Portland
“Nobody would ever choose to live during a pandemic. It is certainly an event that most would, if given a chance, opt out of. But the pandemic ensued. Its forced slowing down and the resulting introspection had some wonderful gifts for me. I used this time to lean into some of the themes I had been previously mulling over and developing in the studio. The theme of consciousness, in all its various forms, intrigued me. Terms such as unconscious, subconscious, and doing something “with” consciousness or “all encompassing” consciousness attracted me like a magnet.
While working on “Flow,” the first series of plaques, I intentionally–therefore consciously–decided that I would de-emphasize the talking and narrative part of my brain while emphasizing the flowing, non-narrative side. It is really fun to have a physical expression of that process. The second series of plaques I call “Bubble Up.” I consciously chose that theme because I love the idea of thoughts and feelings bubbling up, often taking creative form when they reach the surface. The pandemic allowed space for all of us to look at what was bubbling up in our own lives.
I was also learning about the non duality perspective while working on the new planters. Non dualism in an ancient perspective that basically says, “we are all one. There is no ‘other.’ There is just one consciousness.” I am loving exploring these new themes, and I am grateful to have art making as a tool to understand and share my perspective as well as to keep me grounded in the here and now!
This quote from Patti Smith really says it all:
“The artist seeks contact with his intuitive sense of the gods, but in order to create his work, he cannot stay in this seductive and incorporeal realm. He must return to the material world in order to do his work. It is the artist’s responsibility to balance mystical communication and the labor of creation.”
Enjoy fellow creators!“
-Valerie McCaffrey, 2022
