Fossils, an exhibition of clay sculpture and handmade paper, by Leah Ellen Kucera will be on display at the Wright Gallery July 3-31. An opening reception will be held July 3 from 5-8 PM.

The work is Kucera's reaction to the natural landscape of the Mid-Hudson Valley. An Iowa native, she has spent the last four years living and working in Rosendale and hiking, swimming, and exploring the region. Fascinated with the landscape and history of the area, her sculptural work has focused on human's interaction with and reaction to their surroundings.

These Fossils, in clay and paper, are created using objects found while exploring the landscape. These objects, both natural and man-made, are used as mark making devices to create fossils for today. The clay works resemble boxes, causing the viewer to contemplate what was held inside these forms: what their function was. Some of the impressions made by the found objects reference landscapes or portraits of objects. Others are abstract and remind viewers of the wide variety of textures and forms found in our surroundings. Kucera's intention is "not to recreate nature or compete with what the earth has already made, but to call attention to the beauty around us and the importance it plays in all of our lives."

Kucera's work has been exhibited locally at the Women's Studio Workshop, Unison Arts Center Outdoor Sculpture Garden, Rockland Center for the Arts, and Byrdcliff Arts Colony. She has also exhibited at Franconia Sculpture Park in Shafer, MN where she was Intern Artist.

The Wright Gallery is located at 50 North Front Street in Kingston. The opening reception will be a part of Kingston's First Saturday events. For more information call 845.331.8217.