Over the past few months, large bronze sculptures have appeared on the campus lawns, giving the community a glimpse of the work of Connecticut artist Joy Brown.

From February 15 to April 5, in honor of the school’s 50 years of coeducation celebration, the Tremaine Gallery will show “The Art of Joy Brown,” an exhibit drawing from the internationally renowned sculptor’s decades-long career, from her earliest pieces to her most recent projects. Ms. Brown said, “It is unusual to have the opportunity, as I have in this exhibition, to share the evolution of my work. It is with much joy I show this work that spans 50 years!”

Along with several of Ms. Brown’s original saké cups and puppet heads, “The Art of Joy Brown” features detailed sketches, drawings, and paintings that are being shown in public for the first time.

“I was given the opportunity to curate an exhibit of women who work in ceramics,” said Ms. Christine Owen, instructor in ceramics and curator of the exhibit. “I settled on a full retrospective of one artist’s work, to provide students with an expanded view of the evolution and multiple facets of her art practice.”

Ms. Brown discovered her passion for ceramics while growing up in Osaka, Japan, where her parents were medical missionaries. “My brother and I would often go to a nearby mountain to collect clay, bring it home, shape it, and throw it in the kiln—and I’m still doing that, just on a more professional level,” Ms. Brown said.

After obtaining a B.A. in fine arts in ceramic sculpture at Eckerd College in Florida, Ms. Brown returned to Japan and apprenticed under Japanese potter Shigeyoshi Morioka, whose work can be found in the Museum of Modern Art.

Ms. Brown followed her mentor’s instruction to create thousands of saké cups over the span of a year, learning how to incorporate variety into repetition. “It was like a yearlong meditation!” said Ms. Brown.

“The profound and difficult learning process with these cups built the foundational techniques and skills for my career.”

Ms. Brown’s first independent projects included ceramic puppet heads that are included in the Tremaine Gallery exhibition—the ancestors of the large-scale bronze statues installed on campus. “After making these puppet heads over and over again for forty years, they organically evolved into these sculptures,” said Ms. Brown.

According to Ms. Brown’s website, “The bronze figures convey the gravity of stone. They hold a space of quiet—a still point in the midst of constant change. Their expressions and gestures transcend weight, radiate warmth, draw us in.”

Ms. Brown’s sculptures, which were cast in China, have been exhibited in public spaces from Beijing and New York City to here in Lakeville. “These characters are my little prayer into our world that’s so divided and polarized,” said Ms. Brown. “They remind me of the youthful awe for everything around us that’s often lost when we grow up. I want people to remember that wonder can still be present in our busy everyday lives.”

The exhibition would not have been possible without the long-time collaboration between Ms. Owen and Ms. Brown, which began thirty years ago. Ms. Owen said, “Joy and I have known each other for so long. Nearly every summer for the past twenty years we have loaded her twenty-three-foot-long wood-burning kiln together, which requires significant collaborative communication. Those experiences were foundational in making decisions of what work to include in this show and where to create conversations amongst works.”

Due to weather, the official opening reception for the show was moved to Saturday, February 15 to Saturday February 22 from 4-6 p.m. Ms. Brown will also be an artist-in-residence for a week, visiting classes, discussing her work with students, and teaching hand-building methods.

On March 6 at 7 p.m. in Walker Auditorium, community members are invited to see excerpts from the soon-to-be-released documentary, The Art of Joy Brown, directed by Eduardo Montes-Bradley, who has traveled with Brown around the world for two years. The film will be followed by a panel discussion with Ms. Brown, Mr. Montes-Bradley, Ms. Owen and Ms. Ann Villano, instructor in film.

“To all aspiring artists—follow what you love!” Ms. Brown said. “Go for what gives you energy, makes you happy, and brings you love, because after all, that’s what art is all about.”