Beth Cavener
American, born 1972Empire of Dust, 2006
On view
Painted stoneware and an antique box
Dimensions23 × 41 × 45 in. (58.4 × 104.1 × 114.3 cm)
Museum purchase with funds from the Collection Endowment, 2016.33
Beth Cavener incorporates human psychology into her ceramic animal forms. Many of her animals are based on people in her life, though she is often reluctant to reveal their identities. It is known, however, that the rabbit in Empire of Dust depicts Garth Clark, an art critic, art historian, and art dealer, who also collects contemporary ceramics. The “dust” in the title refers to ceramics, Garth’s area of specialty, and the way the rabbit does not fit into the Queen Anne Soap box reflects his desire to be unconventional or “outside of the box.”
Born in California, Cavener is a full-time professional studio artist working in the state of Montana. She received her BA in sculpture from Haverford College and her MFA from Ohio State University. She has exhibited nationally and internationally and has taught numerous workshops across the country.
