A bagel or a dish sponge seems ordinary on its own, but when Los Angeles-based artist Nancy Pearce casts it in bronze, it becomes a collectible piece of art. Born in Salt Lake City, the artist lived in Seattle, upstate New York, Berlin and Joshua Tree before settling down in Los Angeles. Able to find inspiration literally everywhere — from her kitchen to the desert to Smart & Final — Pearce has been recognized by world-class designers like Commune Design and Heath Ceramics, with whom she collaborated on capsules of bronze bowls, ashtrays, and cups and saucers. However, her methods remain low-key, relying on an 85-year-old boutique foundry owner to pour all of her bronze pieces, which gives each one a distinct, handcrafted feel.
