The Oneironauts

In her latest show, mysteriously titled The Oneironauts, multimedia artist Merle Pace exhibits her latest creative endeavor in ceramics. Pace's name for the show comes from the Ancient Greek 'Oneiro,' which means "to dream," or "dreamer," and 'Naut,' which translates as "to travel, or "traveler." Inspired by her lifelong love of ancient mythology, Pace offers an array of brightly colored pieces that invite reflection on the cultures that came before us. Each piece in this show contains a story that Pace invites viewers into.

Having spent her childhood learning to make anything she could think of with her mom and sisters, Pace has always had an affinity for making art: "I grew up in the country with my twin and younger sisters, and if we wanted something, our Mom taught us how to make it. My interest in imagination and creating art grew from there. Making art as a kid was such a fun and joyful time in my life." She has been able to maintain her love of making and has used it to fuel her pottery learning, even though she only started working with clay a couple of years ago. 

When looking at these sculptures, it is easy to tell that they are influenced by ancient pottery and mythology, from the animal heads formed on the tops of jars to the intricate etchings that run across each piece. Pace describes how she formed an interest in and reverence toward ancient Egyptian pottery: "My Grandmother also had a large picture book about King Tut that I pored over every time I went to her house. It felt wise, mysterious, and familiar to me at the same time, and I loved that artisans led such important lives." Pieces in The Oneironauts, like Cat Vessel and Monarch Cat, are clearly influenced by ancient Egyptian pottery while also being entirely new. 

Pace's influence by Ancient Greek pottery is also evident: "I studied Ancient Greek art, history, and culture while in college and then studied abroad at the College Year in Athens in Athens, Greece. This solidified my love of the ancient world, folklore, and taught me how cultures around the world have so much [more] in common than our differences." Pieces in Pace's Philoi series are clearly influenced by Ancient Greek sculpture by their sloping forms and mythological subject matter. 

While observing each piece in The Oneironauts, viewers can meditate on how aspects of them feel familiar and consider how she has used her inspiration and creativity to create something new. Viewers can also appreciate the bright colors and intricate details that Pace has incorporated into her work, and how working with clay, which is "of the earth," according to Pace, connects us to the world around us.