Artists Stephanie Wright and Jessica Sirois invite the public to the opening reception for their show “Convergence” in the West Gallery at River Arts Friday, June 8 from 5 to 7 p.m.

This exhibit is a collaboration of two local Maine artists who historically have worked in their chosen medium on a smaller more refined level. Wright is a ceramist who introduced her Mod Mud line of sculptural tableware and vases in 2013. Sirois began her jewelry business Jlynne Designs 2001. In the past 10 years both women found themselves on a diverging path both personally and professionally which has lead them to work on larger scale creative projects. Convergence is a coming together of  these endeavors and an opportunity for them to express the soft elegance and hard edge that life and creativity offers.

Wright brings to this exhibition her passion for crafting distinctive ceramic vessels with her love for creating floral arrangements that are loose, untamed and dramatic. White on white, the matte exteriors have plaster-like surfaces that contrast with the colorful brilliance of the flowers & foliage. The flowers and foliage are foraged from the local woods & fields and gathered from the gardens of friends. The result is a riotous arrangement of mixed flowers, unruly vines, spray painted weeds, herbs and berries that energetically emerge from these distinctive vessels.

In juxtaposition to Wright's work, Sirois's assemblage metal work merges materials that are both fragile and sharp into balanced and integrated compositions. Utilizing metal, encaustic, and canvas Jessica invites you to view worn, broken down or disregarded items in a new way that honors the authenticity of deterioration and expresses the possibility of balance and beauty in all of its parts.

Wright has been working in clay since 2010, and she first began by taking classes at River Arts. Her work appears in national and regional shows, and awards include a first place in the 2014 “Ceramic World Cup championship” Hyart Gallery, Madison Wisconsin, an honorable mention in the Workhouse International 2014 Ceramic Cup Show, “Drink This!” Lorton, Virginia and was one of twenty-eight artists invited to participate in the 2013 “Best Served Hot: Ceramics for the Coffee Ritual” Lilstreet Gallery, Chicago, Illinois and sponsored by Intelligentsia Coffee. Wright works part-time in a Newcastle Florist Shop and creates ceramics in her Bremen home studio in Maine.

Sirois has been working in metal since 1999. She began her jewelry business Jlynne Designs in 2001, which she still currently operates out of her home in Damariscotta. In 2006 her work was selected for “Work of the Hand” by The Center for Contemporary Maine Art. In 2007 her work was selected to be sold by The Phillips Collection in Washington DC, and in 2008-2010 she was featured in the Northern New Mexico Art Catalogue and gallery in Santa Fe, NM. Since 2010, Sirois has been working as a clinical art therapist in private practice pursuing her jewelry and assemblage metalwork as a balance to her professional career. 

“Convergence” will run through June 20. River Arts is located at 241 U.S. Route 1 Damariscotta. Gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and  Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.