Syd Carpenter

Syd Carpenter’s sculptural work engages the cultivation of the land, whether by referencing natural growth and productivity in its subject matter, drawing on family histories of farming, or by being formed from the earth itself in its clay medium. Motifs of beans or seeds –- round, full, and brimming with new life –- feature prominently in her work, as do baskets, canning jars, and other implements of harvest. The clothespin, a gently curving abstracted representation of the female form, appears large and strong, as nurturer and protectress over the homestead, the earth, and the family. 

Carpenter is Professor of Studio Art at Swarthmore College. She earned her BFA and MFA from Temple University’s Tyler School of Art. Her work can be found in numerous public and private collections.

Courtesy of Susanna W. Gold, Ph.D.