You Promised Me the Moon

This small sculpture was created in response to a request from Philadelphia’s marvelous Clay Studio. The exhibition Small Favors (April 28 – July 3, 2023) was part of the Studio’s annual series that primarily features ceramic works. On occasion, artists who specialize in other media are invited to contribute. One criteria for Small Favors is that sculptures must be tiny, able to fit in a 4″ square, acrylic display box. Well over a hundred such jewel-like containers were ingeniously mounted in an elaborate installation by the Clay Studio staff.

When invited in late 2022 to participate, I was at first unsure how to proceed as I rarely work on such a small scale. Ultimately, the idea came to me on a cold, dark, December evening. Tat night’s brilliant full moon resurfaced lifelong memories of my family’s obsession with Outer Space. In adulthood, my husband Lindsay and I observed the Moon and other distant phenomena with our son Iain.

You Promised Me the Moon materialized over about four months, with memories of Lindsay (sadly lost in 2021) interwoven into the sculpture. I feel certain he was at the Small Favors opening with me and close friends and was as thrilled as we were, when the sculpture sold quickly.

You Promised Me The Moon
Glass seed beads and thread, worked in peyote stitch over felted wool ball
Diam.: 3 7/8″

Exhibited: Small Favors exhibition, Clay Studio, Philadelphia (April 28 – July 3, 2023)
Banner image for beadwork competition: Museum of Beadwork (Portland, ME) “Starstuff & Cosmic Dust” challenge. (October 2024 – March 2025). You Promised Me the Moon.

Private Collection, Philadelphia, PA

The artist thanks her longtime friend and photographer par excellence Natale (Nat) Caccamo for sharing his imagery of this work. (View Nat’s website.)