Two separate but related bodies of work by Tammie Rubin, a 32-year-old Chicago-born artist who attended the ceramics and art history programs at the University of Illinois, Cham-paign-Urbana (double B.F.A.s in 1999) and the graduate clay division at the University of Washington (M.F.A. in 2003), were recently exhibited in the Seattle area. The first grouping involved colorful abstract paintings on wood panel with figurative ceramic attachments and were seen in "Clay?" at the Kirkland Arts Center in Kirkland, Washington, in 2006. The second series, "The Aviary," was the focus of Rubin's Seattle solo debut at the King County Arts Commission gallery, 4Culture, in 2007. In both cases, Rubin expanded the expected limits of ceramics. At 4Culture, The Aviary involved chimerical clay creatures that inhabit mythic worlds, composed of patterns and textures, which are inspired by plastic containers, packaging and replicas of natural objects. Given clay's ability to resemble anything, the artist's clever twist on making an organic material look like plastic is to be applauded and taken seriously.
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