Exhibition Information

Form & Forever: Heather Ramsdale
Aug. 27-Oct. 5, 2018

New works by sculptor Heather Ramsdale suggest questions associated with intended and actual physical form in the context of passing time. 

Form & Forever is Heather Ramsdale’s first exhibition at the Dowd Gallery since she received her BFA degree at SUNY Cortland in 1997. The collection of carefully fabricated free-standing objects and sculptural wall pieces presents a duality of absolute control over the material and lack thereof. These objects invite viewers to engage both their curiosity and intellect. The installation reveals spaces beyond familiar notions of sculpture. Ramsdale adds, “The subject of forever raises questions about beyond now, beyond origin, beyond the object, beyond the form. Several objects in this exhibition present the opposite of, the reflection of, or the negative of the intended form. The process by which I construct these sculptures allows the form to reveal something that is not entirely in my control, and perpetuates a dance between authority and a lack thereof over the object. For me, there is inherent truth revealed when a lack of control is present.” This body of work exerts a reference to previous projects that investigate concepts of transit, time and place, and how we situate ourselves within each.

In general, Ramsdale’s aesthetic leans towards Minimalism but often breaks the mold by incorporating found objects and unconventional materials into otherwise austere pieces. This method provides not only tension between used materials but also offers viewers a recognizable space enhanced by poetic sense of humor. Ramsdale elaborates, “When symbolism, that appears both familiar and new, presents itself through the process of making these sculptures, I like to believe the revelation offers insight into an existence beyond the here and now - perhaps a code, map, or hieroglyphic. I delight in the theatrics and humor of these forms, which help balance the darker nature of my queries. The forms suggest, for me personally, imaginable answers about the unknown.”

Her visual approach, in part, was formulated during her undergraduate studies at the Art and Art History Department at SUNY Cortland under the guidance of several faculty members such as Jim Thorpe, Charles Heasley, Libby Kowalski and George Dugan who continued to be a mentor until his passing. Perhaps the biggest influence on Ramsdale’s development as sculptor was professor Allen Mooney, instructor of Sculpture. “I took a sculpture class with Allen Mooney, and it was this experience of translating an abstract idea into a solid form that compelled a commitment to working in the third dimension. The process of creating an idea in theory, and bringing into existence a three-dimensional version of that idea, or in other words, to make something imaginary become real, was my personal version of magic. Allen taught me that conceptual ideas were the output of placement, balance, color, and many other formal decisions. It was a very Bauhausian experience, with a strong underpinning of formal design, and discovery through process. It was not about making work that focused on personal emotions per se, but recognizing that formal decisions influenced the way in which the objects offered meaning and were experienced by the viewer.”

In addition to the feature exhibition, the Dowd Gallery will present a supporting program including an Artist’s Talk, documentary screening and Artist Workshop open to students and the public free of charge. Heather Ramsdale will be conducting a workshop at the Critique Space, Dowd Fine Arts Center involving a hands-on process of making a site-specific, large-scale installation made from paper. This will be an exploration in illusion, weight and permanence of a non-traditional material, resulting in a temporal work. The result of the workshop will remain on view for the duration of the exhibition. The intended project references Ramsdale’s objects made during her recent residency at Joya: arte + ecología in southern Spain, where she primarily worked with large rolls of black and white paper. She explains, “Paper can be manipulated to identify the moments in which the fragility of form can become heavy in gesture. Some of the large sculptures recall the landscape but without duplication, bringing into question the outside versus the inside, and trying to locate myself in both. Paper is not necessarily synthetic, unless you measure it against a demanding landscape in the quietest of places. No matter the material I work in, a balance in dichotomies emerges and signifies completion.”

About Heather

Heather Ramsdale is a visual artist who focuses her creative process on both mastery of craft and conceptual engagement. She is not afraid to ask herself difficult questions and find solutions to challenges she has set for herself. She currently teaches sculpture at Kutztown University and lives in Philadelphia, where her studio is also located.

Ramsdale obtained a master’s degree in fine arts from the University of Pennsylvania. She received an undergraduate degree in studio art from SUNY Cortland and studied at Goldsmiths College in London. 

Ramsdale was nominated for a Terra Foundation for American Art Award and an Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award from the International Sculpture Center. Subsequently, she was the recipient of two Pollock-Krasner Foundation fellowships for residencies in upstate New York. Recent shows include a group exhibition at Savery Gallery in Philadelphia and a solo exhibition at The Gallery at Delaware County Community College. She recently completed a residency at Joya: arte + ecologia, an arts-led field research center, in Andalucia, Spain.