Sound Shore

Have you noticed this sculpture in Larchmont, off Maple Avenue? A bronze mermaid is playing a flute, lulling to sleep a child mermaid beside her.

The figure was intriguing enough that Judith Doolin Spikes, who lives across the street, began researching its origins. That led to more historical research. And she didn’t stop. She served as Larchmont’s village historian over the course of three decades. (more…)

Sculptor Bob Clyatt has been busy at his home studio in Rye, preparing an installation for Rye Town Park Aug. 21. I had a chance Friday to see his work in progress and learn about the Japanese process of raku, which he is using to fire the clay and give the sculpture a crackled look.

The sculpture will have some familiar faces — Clyatt used various friends and fellow creative-types as models. Here is Bill Lawyer, a park administrator, with his likeness.

Clyatt, a California native, likes to combine the classical, rigorous study of human figures with contemporary, spontaneous touches. He is using the Japanese raku technique to fire the clay, and I’ll be writing about that for LoHud.com.

I paid a visit today to the Clay Art Center in Port Chester, which is well hidden at the south end of downtown. Students were painting, molding and spinning clay in two classes, one in sculpture and one called Clay 101.

Below is Joan Miller at the wheel:

Jane Cohen was making vases with faces. A trio of them, combined with clay thought balloons, will be called “Cloudy Thinking”:

The Pelham Art Center is exhibiting an amazing range of work by its students and faculty. If you’ve never stopped in, this will give you a good sense of the variety of programs there: video production, ceramics, painting, photography.

Director Lisa Robb gave me a tour the other day, and explained what it means to be a community based arts organization — lowbrow, highbrow, multicultural, unpredictable, a reflection of the community itself.

Here is “Place Setting,” by pottery instructor Andrew Coombs:

And stoneware by instructor Jeanne Carreau: