Sunday was one of those days that I wish I could have dragged on for a week. The past couple of weeks having to get back into the swing of school and looking non-stop for a job has signaled the inevitable end of summer, but Sunday was the perfect break from that academic mentality, a little glimpse into what remained of my Brooklyn summer. And GO Brooklyn Art was the perfect way to spend some of those precious remaining hours of summer.
Instead of giving myself a list of specific studios to visit, I got a small group of friends together and we moseyed around the Navy Yard neighborhood, popping our heads into various studios and mingling with the artists. After the 30 or so studio visits, I began to get a bit worried about my choice not to look up anything specific, as I had not yet come across any piece of sculpture that intrigued me. It wasn’t until our last stop at the so-called Candy Factory that I found a sculptor who really caught my eye. Kathy Stecko’s work is figurative, and while I wanted make an effort to step out of my comfort zone and find a sculptor who worked in a more abstract way, I found myself captivated by Stecko’s many small pieces.
Stecko’s studio was a crowded space littered with ceramic figures, each in its own realistic pose that was distorted just enough to appear unnatural. Elongated arms gave way to over-sized hands and hips and heavily inset eyes made it difficult to tell if they were intended to be open or closed. On her website, Stecko describes her work as representing isolation, and that was exactly the mood I encountered as I explored her studio. The series which grabbed my attention first was displayed in succession along the side wall – a group of porcelain half-figures cut off at mid thigh. Each figure stands alone with quiet, contemplative expressions on their faces. Though they were displayed inches from each other, their lack of interaction embraced a certain eerie isolation. As simple as the figures appeared, the longer I stood taking in each one, the more depth their expressions and poses seemed to take on. And despite their similarities, each piece was as unique as each other person exploring Stecko’s studio. After having spent the entire afternoon looking at local art, this was one of the only studios that really got me to stop and think about the work. Each small figure required attention and reflection, and it was exactly that which captivated me.
For more information on Kathy Stecko, check out her work here. And, her GO page.
Attempted Art Jargon 
Thanks for sending me your link…I should be following your blog now. You are the third student who mentioned Stecko’s art. I think you presented the finest example, however, of discussing her work and really describing it. You talk about the crowded, littered space, the media of the work, and the intimacy of the small sculptures, all very good points about the work. In terms of your GO Brooklyn experience, can you add more information? Did you speak to any of the artists? Did your friends enjoy the project over all? Another paragraph here would really flesh it out nicely. Thanks for posting!