As part of Hotchkiss School’s celebration of 50 years of women at Hotchkiss, the Tremaine Art Gallery presents The Art of Joy Brown from Feb. 15 through April 5. An internationally known sculptor, Brown’s larger-than-life human figures are instantly recognizable. And while her bronze sculptures grace public spaces from Beijing to New York City, each piece begins as a clay figure fired at her home studio in Kent, CT. 

An opening reception will be held in the gallery on Saturday, Feb. 15, from 4 to 6 p.m.

The public is also invited to Walker Auditorium at The Hotchkiss School on March 6 from 7-8 p.m. for excerpts from the soon-to-be-released documentary, The Art of Joy Brown, followed by a panel discussion with Joy Brown, Christine Owen, instructor in ceramics, Ann Villano, instructor in film, and Eduardo Montes-Bradley, documentary filmmaker.

Montes-Bradley’s film is “an intimate portrayal of an artist whose passion for simplified human forms and a deeply humanistic view of nature comes alive on screen.”

The exhibit traces the evolution of Brown’s work, from tiny clay figures to clay-headed puppets, to small statues and wall tiles, to the monumental work found in public spaces. Her pieces reflect her childhood in China and Japan as well as an early apprenticeship in traditional Japanese wood-fired ceramics. She writes, “My pieces speak of that peaceful place within—calm, open, and aware.” 

Brown’s work has been exhibited in the United States, Europe, Japan, and China, including a nine-month show on Broadway in New York City. In addition to her figures, Brown creates three-dimensional wall installations. This exhibit will include her drawings, early figures, and wall installations. Two large-size sculptures, Sitter with Head in Hands and Recliner with Head in Hands, grace the Hotchkiss campus through May 2025.

The Tremaine Art Gallery is located on the ground floor of The Hotchkiss School’s Main Building at 11 Interlaken Road, Lakeville, CT.  Regular gallery hours are Tuesday to Saturday from 12-4 p.m. and Sunday from 1-4 p.m. It is closed on Mondays.