Nazareth Art Professor Mitchell Messina is known for his ceramic sculptures and installations that center on the human form, usually interacting in some way with various objects of our making. These objects in the past have alluded to traditional tools, but most recently, the human form becomes the object itself, entangled and ensnared in accoutrements of modernity.

Main Street Arts Gallery (20 West Main Street, Clifton Springs) through October 6 is presenting "Fuse," a solo exhibit of new sculpture by Messina. "Chosen as the central material for my work," he says in a provided statement, "clay represents a raw material connection to the earth; however, when cast into molds and used in repetition, it simultaneously references the flash point of dehumanization through mass production."

In full disclosure, I studied with Messina at Nazareth; he's one of those great teachers who imparts not only technical expertise but also really cool philosophic considerations. Main Street Arts is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and admission is free. The main gallery space is currently hosting the Upstate New York Painting Invitational, also through October 6. For more info, call 315-462-0210 or visit mainstreetartsgallery.com.