‘Pairing’ local art and libations

Not all art hangs on the wall.

The Carbondale Clay Center’s annual “Pairings” fundraiser is an opportunity to admire practical art in the form of cups and other vessels by over 30 local and national artists.

It also gives buyers a chance to use their find right away with beverages from Marble Distillery, Big B’s Fabulous Juices and Hard Cider, Roaring Fork Beer Company, Suerte Tequila, Tonic Juicery, and Woody Creek Distillers.

The event takes place from 6-9 p.m. Friday at the LaunchPad in Carbondale.

“It’s an opportunity to live very closely with a piece of art,” said Steven Colby, who sculpted an array of lidded mugs for the show. “It allows that object to reveal itself over time.”

Ceramic sculptor Matthew Eames agreed.

“I have to take a step back to make a functional object,” he said. “I want people to use it, but I also want to keep the notion of play and structure. It becomes that much more engaging when you have to interact with it.”

Cups and containers range from $15 to $125 but you don’t have to choose one right away. Tickets are $10 and include beverage tastings, appetizers from White House Pizza, and music by one man electronic show Holographic Era. The show will be cleaned up by Saturday afternoon, so it’s not an event to miss.