Kate Clements is an artist who skillfully combines painted panels with delicate planes of kiln-fired glass to explore the nature of fragility. She describes glass as a material defined by its capacity to hold tension, acknowledging its potential to break, shatter, or shift at any moment. This awareness of impermanence serves as an underlying theme in her work, creating a sense of nervous anticipation beneath the surface.
Using a granular substance called frit, Clements creates intricate forms like leaves, insects, and birds directly onto a kiln shelf. When fired, these colorful drawings fuse into wafer-thin panels that she then applies to painted panels or suspends in installations. Her work often incorporates patterns reminiscent of wallpaper, as well as motifs that suggest architectural structures or niches, playing with the balance between rigidity and fluidity, and the juxtaposition of artificial and organic elements.
For Clements, working with glass has become a meditative process that involves a balance of precision and intuition. She explains that the material has become an extension of her hand and body through mark-making and scale, allowing her to shape it while also letting the glass move on its own terms in the kiln. The versatility of glass, combined with its inherent changeability, continues to fascinate Clements, particularly the tension between control and risk.
In her earlier pieces, Clements explored the unease and anxiety that glass can evoke, highlighting its potential to shift unpredictably. More recent works build upon this sensitivity while emphasizing the ethereal qualities of the translucent medium. Delicate panels are suspended from the ceiling to create more solid, architectural forms, blurring the line between fragility and solidity.
One of Clements’ sculptures, titled “Acanthus,” can be viewed at the Nelson Atkins Museum as part of the group exhibition “Personal Best” until August 9, 2026. Additionally, her new work is on display in a solo show titled “NOCTURNES” at the art gallery of Kansas City Community College, running until November 14. For more information on Kate Clements and her work, visit her website and Instagram.
Overall, Kate Clements’ innovative approach to working with kiln-fired glass showcases the delicate balance between control and risk, fragility and solidity, and the artificial and organic. Her intricate compositions and intricate patterns invite viewers to contemplate the beauty and unpredictability of the material, creating a sense of tension and anticipation in each piece.
