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Stick, Steel, and Stone

August 10, 2026 – December 3, 2026

Stick, Steel, and Stone

Lydia Martin, Keenan Rowe, and John Shea

Lydia Martin is a contemporary jeweler whose work is built upon the foundations of traditional metalsmithing techniques. She explores material skill, surface, line, and movement, creating pieces that reflect her investigations of intention and consequence.

Keenan Rowe creates objects from imagined worlds through slow, meditative wood carving processes, using texture, surface, and color to either expose or obscure his hand. His work subverts expectations of form and material for furniture and decorative sculpture. Rowe is interested in the fuzzy lines that define art, craft, and design objects, finding a space where interaction with art in our daily lives becomes discursive and speculative.

John Shea is a ceramics artist and educator known for his vibrantly colorful abstract forms that combine organic and geometric references. Shea explores the power of abstraction to convey highly personal and collective meaning to the viewer.

Biographies:

Lydia Martin received a Master of Fine Arts from the State University of New York at New Paltz. She is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor of Art at the University of Arkansas Little Rock, where she heads the metalsmithing program. For more information about Lydia Martin, visit: lydiaelsamartin.com

Keenan Rowe was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. He received his Master of Fine Arts in 3D Design from Cranbrook Academy of the Arts. He is an Assistant Professor of Art at the University of Arkansas Little Rock, where he heads the Woodworking and Furniture program. He founded RVA Urban Wood, a Virginia-based collaborative group dedicated to educating the community and diverting wood waste from local landfills. For more information about Keenan Rowe, visit: https://www.keenanrowe.com

Examples of recent works by Keenan Rowe: recent works by Keenan Rowe

John Shea received a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is currently an Assistant Professor in Ceramics at the University of Arkansas Little Rock. For more information about John Shea, visit: https://www.jrsheastudio.com

UA-PTC will host a reception on Wednesday, September 3, 5-6:30 p.m.