by Samantha Berlin

Durham artist Martha Clippinger spent a month making art at Raleigh’s Artspace in April as PNC’s Pop-In Artist in Residence. The results – colorful patterns and mixed media works on both wood and fiber – will be on exhibit in Artspace’s Upfront Gallery through June 25. Clippinger’s colorful works emphasize the physical qualities of her materials and the significance of architectural space. They ride a thin line between painting and sculpture, each piece its own combination of wavy, woven, coated, or jagged material.

Throughout the gallery, Clippinger’s pieces are installed high and low, across the floor, pinned to walls, and stretched along windowsills. While most of the work on display was made during Clippinger’s Artspace residency, it’s bolstered by art she made during a stay in Mexico City.

Meet the artist at an intimate “art happy hour” class with snacks and beverages on June 9: She’ll offer techniques to create art from unlikely recycled materials.

If you miss the Raleigh show, Clippinger can be found at her home base at Golden Belt in Durham.

Art happy hour: 7 – 9 p.m., $35; Exhibition: Tuesdays, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Wednesdays – Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., free, suggested donation of $5; 201 E. Davie St.; artspacenc.org