FALL GALLERY NIGHT RECEPTION: Saturday, September 7, 2019 @ 6 PM – 9 PM

“Horn of Plenty” is a playful shrine dedicated to the human imagination. The centerpiece of this installation is a 7-ft tall fiberglass unicorn-sphinx entitled “Antenna”, which will be surrounded by a family of approximately 50 smaller ceramic figures.

The initial inspiration for the big unicorn came from a small ceramic nightlight that I had as a child. It was white with a broken golden horn. Like this horn, my imagination was broken for many years. I could only draw rigidly from life and had trouble accessing the mysterious worlds of my subconscious mind.

This all changed in 2016 when I simultaneously started working with clay for the first time and began meditating. These two practices opened up a creative channel within me and regrew my metaphoric “antenna”, connecting me back to the playful imagination of my childhood. Ideas for strange mythological creatures were abundant and the process of giving life to them has been fun and surprising.

This shrine is a celebration; it’s about re-discovering parts of yourself that were once buried or forgotten. And, like the name suggests, I believe that our imaginations are boundless and plentiful. I hope that my work sparks joy in others and encourages them to tap into their own strange and magical worlds. -Shamona Stokes