Sculptor Syd Carpenter on 50 Years of Clay, Gardens, and Refusing to Be Boxed In

Syd Carpenter has spent fifty years expanding what clay can hold and now she's expanding beyond clay altogether. With a major retrospective at the Woodmere Art Museum and three additional exhibitions on view, Carpenter is having the kind of moment most artists dream of. But talk to her for five minutes and you realize she's not looking back. She's still inventing.In this episode, Syd talks about choosing art over medicine, the teacher who gave her space to become herself, why she rejects the idea that her identity gives her a special connection to clay, and how her garden has quietly shaped everything she makes. She's funny, direct, and deeply generous and her story is exactly the kind of thing you want to hear right now.Explore Syd's recent exhibitions:https://www.sju.edu/maguire-art-museum/exhibitions/syd-carpenter https://www.ursinus.edu/live/profiles/10435-syd-carpenterhttps://woodmereartmuseum.org/experience/exhibitions/planting-in-place-time-and-memoryJoin our free newsletter and become an art insider:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://mailchi.mp/seen/waitlistIf you want to connect with us between episodes, follow us on Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/watchseenartAbout the Have You Seen? series:The ⁠Have You Seen? Series⁠ is all about talking to emerging and mid-career artists about their journey to now.Curious about how an artist got to where they are or indeed why they chose art in the first place? Then this series is for you. Join us as we speak to emerging and mid-career artists across the globe. Don’t worry, there’s no hiding behind art speak here, or pretending that being an artist is a bowl of cherries. We’re here to hear it all, straight from the source.