When I was a co-chair of Artclectic, I discovered Kem Alexander. Since Artclectic is a juried show, it attracts incredible talent from all over the country. Most are true characters with a certain panache and je nes sais quois; Kem is no different. Only she’s homegrown with roots in Chattanooga. Around art circles, she’s known as the “Goddess of Uncommon Concrete”: a hardcore diva who creates decorative art pieces that are true-to-life replicas of shoes, purses, bowls, eggs and intimates– and yes, everything is made out of concrete.
I currently own three pairs of her shoes, a purse and a bowl and I am seriously considering adding another pair of shoes. Maybe the ones featured in this post. I LOVE THEM. My motivation to keep adding might be because after visiting my friend Leslie in Asheville, I realized she had dozens of Kem’s shoes all over her house. Talk about shoe envy. Kem’s shoes define the perfect tchotzky; they can go anywhere, have a wonderful whimsical quality and are interesting to boot (no pun intended). They are so damn cute that it is hard to walk past her display without buying some. As the season cranks up for weddings, births, graduations, and friends getting older, let me recommend to consider a gift that will be around for a long time. Oh, I almost forgot, Kem has received an order from Opry, Gaylord’s new store on 4th Avenue and Broadway, for her new creation of the high heeled shoe necklaces.
THEY ARE SELLING LIKE WILDFIRE! Affordable at $40 a pair.
If you would like to meet Kem in person, she will be at the TACA Festival, the first week of May. Or contact her directly:
Kem Alexander
Uncommon Concrete
301 Noll Street
Chattanooga, TN 37405
423.505.1227
[email protected]
