Phoebe Adams

My work is full of messages with sideways humor about psychological states. A realism gleaned not from symbolic logic or diaristic narrative but rather from close observation of nature’s peculiarities and human dilemmas. Physical stand-ins for states of mind that exhibit flux: transformations of one thing to another: a merging of messy, inarticulate states. Brancusi meets sci-fi. Metaphors about scale gotten from a lifetime of devoted amateur wanderings in the natural sciences. I have invented forms; manifested in bronze, carved wood, hair, encaustic, fiber, rubber glass that have been formed with the pleasure of my hand.

These pieces approach elegance, which is then subverted. Subverted by their placement, shifting scale or combinations of material coupled with the associations of the imagery itself. Resolutely unheroic, insistently non-polemical. Not resolving, but yoking together supposed binary conflicting dualities such as motion/rest, order/chaos, male/female, attraction/repulsion, nature/man-made.

Recently I have focused primarily on works on paper. The peculiarities of “place” are important. Landscape in motion from weather to the time of day. And it’s light. The nearly muted history of people standing at the same site is part of place. My internal state is the ramekin that holds these perceived elements for the shape that evolves layer by layer. Mixed into these layerings are images of plaid, a human construct from warp and weft. A sense of rapture at the density of natural phenomenon is combined with a darker view of changes and looming danger from our human interventions.

EDUCATION
1978           M.A., S.U.N.Y. , Albany, NY
1977           Skowhegan School of Printing and Sculpture, ME
1976           B.F.A., Philadelphia College of Art, Philadelphia, PA

SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2006           "Scholar Rocks and Other Deep Spaces" Sharaphin Gallery, Phila. Pa.
2004           Philadelphia Airport-Main Concourse Between Terminals B&C - Nov.04-May05
2001           "Paintings", Bellas Artes Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2000           "Out of Reach," Paintings and Doodles, Nesbitt Gallery, Drexel University, Phila., PA
1999           "Recent Sculpture" Bellas Artes Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
1997           Locks Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
1995           Curt Marcus Gallery, New York, NY
1994           Anna Leonowens Gallery, Nova Scotia
1994           College of Art and Design, Halifax, Nova Scotia
1993           Locks Gallery, Philadelphia, PA (catalogue)
1991           Pence Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
1990           Curt Marcus Gallery, New York, NY
1991           Lawrence Oliver Editions, Philadelphia, PA
1991           Beaver College, Glenside, PA (brochure)
1990           Curt Marcus Gallery, New York, NY
1988           Pence Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
1987           Curt Marcus Gallery, New York, NY
1986           Lawrence Oliver Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
1985           Grace Borgenicht Gallery, New York, NY
1984           Lawrence Oliver Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
1981           Nexus Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2016           Bienniel Center for Maine Contemporary Art Rockland, Maine John Yau and Elizabeth Berry Jurors
2007-8        "Confrontations with Three-Dimensional Art—Contemporary Sculpture from the Permanent Collection" Including Works by Sol LeWitt, Katerina Fritch, Anselm Kiefer,

                                    Felix Gonzalez-Torres, New Perelman Building, Philadelphia Museum of Art,  Phila., PA
2006           “Notations: Energy Yes!” Including Works by Joseph Beuys, Andy Warhol, Thomas Hirschhorn, and Ana Mendieta, Curated by Carlos Basualdo, Philadelphia Art Museum,

                                    Phila., PA
2005           “Out of Line” Seraphin Gallery, Phila., PA
2004           “Digital Domains” Bluseed Studios, Sarennac Lake, NY
2003           “Boarders” Three Person Show, Seraphin Gallery, Phila. Pa.
2002           “Prints from the Vermont Studio Press”, Fleming Museum, University of Vt., Burlington, VT
2000           "Celebrating Modern Art: The Anderson Collection”, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, CA
2000           “Simple Statements”, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
1999           “Contemplation,” Abbington Art Center, Jenkintown, PA
1998           “Obsessive Compulsive Order,” Hillwood Art Museum, Long Island University, NY
1997           “Objectivity: International Objects of Subjectivity,” Contemporary Art Center of Virginia, Virginia Beach, VA
1997           “Intimate Objects,” Gallery Joe, Philadelphia, PA
1996           “Art Foundry Editions,” Knoedler Gallery, New York, NY
1996           “Woman: Object/Subject,” Lawrence Gallery, Rosemont College, Rosemont, PA
1996           “Subjective Vision,” Kipp Gallery, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA