Carriere was studying in Paris in the late 1980s when she stumbled across some bundles of old newspapers and began investigating how to sculpt using these cast-off bits of yesterday's news. Carriere had studied and worked in wax and bronze for years, but this new newspaper mâché medium had its challenges, including what to do with the pervasive advertisements. After first editing out any hint of the brightly colored, Carriere finally decided that to incorporate them to create "the artistic equivalent of a snake bite remedy" against the eye-catching, seductive qualities used by advertisers. "Time and Distance" includes both the earlier non-color works and later works incorporating color.

Carriere creates feathers from bits of shredded paper, and has an uncanny ability to capture each species' individual characteristics. She displays groups of birds in the kinds of patterns they make when a flock settles on a tree or wire. Text and colors are interwoven in subtle, ever-changing patterns that enliven the forms of these small beings. You can almost hear the heartbeat of each tiny hummingbird in the grouping titled Hum. These lightweight sculptures capture a moment of each bird's existence that is fleeting and yet full of purpose and power. The bird may be poised to gather nectar from a flower, or beginning its long migration to its original home. Using the lightest of materials, Carriere has fashioned works that embody both great vulnerability and great strength, a rare gift indeed.

The artist will talk about her work on Saturday, April 4, at 4 p.m. in the Main Gallery.