Confessions and Convictions

In her own words, Beth Cavener is known for works that “transform animal subjects into human psychological portraits.” After receiving her BA in Sculpture from Haverford College in 1995, the artist pursued ceramics education at Appalachian Center for Craft in Tennessee and Ohio State University where she completed her MFA in 2002. A classically trained sculptor, Cavener employs demanding, traditional techniques to achieve her life-sized sculptures. Each of her works is modeled from hundreds of pounds of solid clay. Often, she finishes her figures with matte surfaces of colored slip (liquified clay) or commercial wall paints. “Confessions and Convictions” depicts a goat straining against a rope that pulls backward. Frozen mid-struggle, the wide-eyed mammal lurches forward, flails its hind legs, and cries. “There is a beautiful simplicity among animals. I see so much of us reflected in their bodies and behavior,” explained the artist.