Finnish artist Marianne Huotari’s quirky hybrid plant/animal creature ‘Verdant Daydreamer’ greets visitors to her solo show of nature-inspired sculpture at HB381 like a friendly puppy. Huotari achieves the shaggy-dog look of this ceramic sculpture by layering handmade disks and beads in a manner inspired by classic Finnish thick pile carpets. Other creatures in the show include a mouse-eared sculpture titled ‘Juggler’ and a blue form topped by a pink puffball of candy-shaped ceramic pieces titled ‘Circus Poodle’ while on the walls, Huotari evokes waterfalls and an arboretum, all in plenty of color and good humor. (On view through Oct 31st in Tribeca).
