Cupcake Stands at Charlie Cummings Gallery

This year, a selection of my porcelain cupcake stands was included in Exquisite Form VII, a yearlong group exhibition at Charlie Cummings Gallery in Gainesville, Florida. The show highlights sculptural and functional ceramics by artists from across the country. I was listed under my full name, Marianna Di Giansante, and felt deeply honored to have my work included in such thoughtful company.

Charlie Cummings Gallery is known for its careful attention to form and material, and for celebrating the full spectrum of contemporary ceramics. Their programming presents both sculpture and functional pottery with clarity and depth, offering space for objects that are meant to be used, but also closely considered. I’ve followed their exhibitions for years, and it meant a great deal to be accepted into this one.

The cupcake stands featured in the show reflect the range of my ceramic cupcake stands, each one a wheel-thrown and handbuilt form, designed to highlight lightness, balance, and proportion. Some are sculptural, others lean more practical, but all are made to serve a small gesture: a single dessert, a candle, or a moment of attention on the table.

Like most of my pieces, these began with something personal—a gift I made for my niece’s first birthday—and over time, they’ve become a quiet space in the studio where I return to the same questions: what makes a piece feel celebratory, and what makes it functional in more than just a literal sense.

If you missed the show in person, Exquisite Form VII is viewable online through Charlie Cummings Gallery’s website. You can also find a selection of my porcelain cupcake stands in my online shop, or occasionally at markets and stockists around New York.

Photo credit: www.charliecummingsgallery.com