A Review by Jonathan Roberts of work completed whilst artist in
residence at the Rufford Craft Centre

A Primate with its palm against the glass of its case, confronting one on the
way into the gallery, immediately causes one to reassess the interaction
between the viewer and the viewed. Rodgers captures the curiosity, warmth
and fear of this animal, contained within an alien environment.
Its fellow inmates huddle in comers, scream and watch as visitors encircle
the central case in this small, airy gallery. Interaction between the viewer
and the viewed continues with a series of threefemale figures, assessing
their proportions in front of non-existent mirrors.
Blissfully unaware that they are on show, their gnarled and distorted faces
gaze intently at their at their equally distorted bodies. Other cases reveal a
reclining cat, preening itself, and a monkey sliding effortlessly upon metal
wheels, a spring for its rib cage. Hares run, not with the stylisation usually
given to this type of work, but with the frenzied activity of a startled animal.
Limbs of clay and metal offer the visual impacts of a road kill, beautifully
disturbing.
Completed whilst artist in residence at the Rufford Ceramic Centre, the
work in this exhibition shows Rodgers' maturity as an artist continue to grow.
Her ability to capture the essence of a moment and freeze it within
abstractions of life, whilst retaining a playful perspective, continues alongside
her experimentation with materials. As her work becomes more abstract,
it releases one from mere visual interaction, enabling exploration of the
essence of her work through emotional response, and future developments
are awaited with anticipation.