Whenever I get a little too big for my britches, fancying myself an crafty, international bon vivant, somebody like Shary Boyle comes along and reminds me that I don't even know what's going on in FREAKING CANADA! How did her work escape me for so long? Sure, I've seen the Peaches album that she did the cover for, but that's about it.
Shary Boyle lives and works in Toronto, spreading her talents between drawing, painting, making projections for musicians like Bonnie Prince Billy and Sonic Youth, and making totally amazing sculptures like the porcelain figurine you see above. She's directly plugged into the continuum of the "dainty" arts, using them to amplify her own themes of sexuality, transgression, and secret and disturbing worlds that lie beneath the surface. She's recently moved into the world of polymer clay, which allows her more spontaneity. The polymer figurines have the slightly rubbery quality of dollar store figurines, which to my way of thinking, makes these figures even more shocking than the more formal porcelain ones.
If you happen to be kickin' it in Waterloo, Ontario this winter or Spring, check out her solo show featuring 7 years of her miniatures at the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery.
LINK via BoingBoing
