‘Home’ is where artists display flair

As a high school teacher and mother to an 11-year-old boy, Lynn Liverton’s consciousness is constantly occupied with issues of interaction and relationships. This perspective fuels her work in "Home," the latest show at The Second Floor@Cedar Street Galleries, which runs through Jan. 13.

Liverton’s work is exhibited with paintings by Kath-erine Love and Kirsten Rae Simonsen.

Most recognized as a bronze sculptor, Liverton takes a new approach for "Home," employing primarily wood and clay for the works in the show. Her centerpiece work, "Playdate," depicts two goats wearing iPods who are in the middle of a visit. They face each other and are surrounded by board games but nonetheless convey a sense of isolation.

"I’m fascinated by goats right now. They take whatever comes their way, eat whatever’s around, then move on with no real consequences in mind," she said. "They reflect where lots of kids these days — pun intended — are at. They ignore everything but their iPods, even for a playdate. This is about the invasion of media on pure play."

Liverton’s focus on relationships is a contrast to the perspectives presented by the other artists in "Home." The variation makes for a multidimensional presentation that keeps the audience riveted.

Love’s paintings place Victorian home furniture, which conveys the height of civility, amid wild outdoor surroundings of forest and ocean. Simonsen’s architectural drawings depict futuristic temporary shelters with colorful domed roofs that make them look like jewels.

Other works by Liverton include a series of tiny ceramic-and-wire fish figures with the faces primarily of domesticated animals. The artist includes a few wax-house pieces reminiscent of earlier works. These explore the strain of homeownership.

"The weight of a mortgage, especially in Hawaii — is that really the American dream anymore?" she asks.