Constance McBride ( she, her )

I've been working with clay since 2006. Living in the Southwest, where pottery traditions have lasted thousands of years, greatly influenced my approach to it. I get my inspiration from nature's rhythms and depict the cycle of life with a nod to the untidiness of living. And I tend to throw light on issues experienced by women—harassment, abuse, marginalization and ageism. Simultaneously, women struggle to remain relevant, take care of their health, and maintain financial stability. And like most women, I've had firsthand experience with a lot of it; from finding my way as a young single mother to having spent many years in a male dominated corporate world, to navigating the art world later in life. I'm interested in the recurring interplay between liberation and constraint, a tension that has been ongoing throughout time, and hope to encourage an introspective dialogue about the roles and perceptions of women in contemporary society. Other themes central to my work are memory loss and melancholy. My uncompromising figures are hand built and at times include bits of nature, found objects, fabric and wires. I apply surface treatments such as graphite or stains and wax to emphasize the textures and characteristics of living, breathing skin. My figures are displayed as solitary objects on plinths or hung on walls to create an intimate viewing experience, or as part of larger installations—interacting with other related works to foster an immersive environment. In essence, my work is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, offering a space for reflection on the universal yet personal experiences that define our existence.

Constance McBride (b. Philadelphia, PA) delves into gender-based issues with ceramic sculpture, installations and mixed media. Recent awards include the Jacques MacCuiston Dowling Award for Sculpture (Woodmere) and grants from The Puffin Foundation, Philadelphia Sculptors, Phoenix Art Museum’s Contemporary Forum, Arizona Commission on the Arts and a position in the 2021 Chautauqua Visual Arts Residency Program in Chautauqua, New York. Her work is shown nationally in the USA and abroad. Recent solo exhibitions include The Melancholic Joy of Living at Chesapeake Gallery (MD), The Lonely Girls at Abington Art Center (PA) and at Tubbs Gallery (DE). Notable group shows include Belonging at Woodmere Art Museum (PA), a Contemporary Forum Grant Recipients exhibition at Phoenix Art Museum (Phoenix, AZ), Craft Forms at Wayne Art Center (Wayne, PA), The Clay Studio National (Philadelphia, PA) and Beyond the Brickyard at Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts (Helena, MT). In 2018, McBride spent five weeks as a resident facilitator/art educator at Sias University in Xinzheng and villages in and around Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China via a World Academy for the Future of Women and US State Department grant. Her work has received attention from several publications including Yahoo News Cities Rising series, Artblog, Cleaver Magazine, and the international magazines Suboart and Inspirational art. Currently based outside of Philadelphia, PA she teaches Sculpture and Hand Building and is a host of the show Art Watch at WCHE Radio Station in West Chester, PA. McBride earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Arcadia University, Glenside, PA.