Milette Lanphere and Suzanne Kane Circus Set Fire & Fiber 2016 Award Winner

Extraordinary collaborative circus tableau by Milette Lanphere and Suzanne Kane, awarded 2nd Place at the Fire & Fiber exhibition (Branigan Cultural Center, 2016). This signed, mixed-media installation features six distinct components: a commanding ringmaster, expressive monkey, richly adorned camel, and a separately modeled elephant pulling a ceramic wagon housing two giraffes.

Each element rewards close study. The ringmaster—poised on a painted pedestal—anchors the scene with theatrical presence, his felted features and costume conveying movement and authority. The monkey and camel show Lanphere’s anatomical sensitivity, with lifelike stance and subtle facial expression. The elephant, adorned with colorful tassels and bells, introduces weight and motion, while Kane’s ceramic wagon—textured, wheel-mounted, and crowned with two giraffes—demonstrates structural sophistication and painterly glaze work. Together, they form a cohesive narrative while remaining individually compelling.

This piece is aimed at discerning collectors of contemporary folk, fiber, and Southwestern exhibition art—those who value documented works by established artists. It offers rarity, story, and authorship: a combination that elevates it beyond decorative into collectible fine craft.

Works of this caliber—signed, exhibited, and award-winning—rarely reappear on the market. Its sculptural presence, tactile richness, and proven exhibition history create immediate emotional connection, making it highly desirable for collectors seeking standout, conversation-defining pieces.

Condition:
Excellent condition with no damage. Fiber elements are intact with minimal handling wear, and ceramic components remain structurally sound with no chips or cracks. Details and coloration remain vibrant.

Dimensions:
Cart: 9.5 x 11 x 5 inches
Monkey (smallest): 4 x 3 x 5 inches

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Milette Lanphere has spent most of her life in the Mesilla Valley of southern New Mexico, on a seven-acre farm outside Las Cruces — home over the years to horses, donkeys, dogs, chickens, cats, and all manner of wildlife that found its way to her door. For years she was also a licensed falconer, one of fewer than thirty active practitioners in the state of New Mexico, before setting that chapter aside around 2005.

What falconry gives you, above all else, is an education in anatomy. You learn how a creature is built — how it moves, where the weight sits, what the face does under stress. That knowledge does not leave you. It shows up in the felt.

In her past lives, Lanphere was a member of the Mesilla Valley Fine Arts Gallery in historic Mesilla and the Potters' Guild of Las Cruces. This installation represents the fullest public expression of her practice — and the piece that earned her a place on the exhibition's podium.

Suzanne Kane is a Las Cruces-based sculptor whose work is held in the permanent collections of the New Mexico State Capitol, the Archie Bray Foundation, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, and the Las Cruces Museum of Fine Arts, among others. Her ceramic elements in this collaboration — the intricately worked ring sections, the glazed and painted bases, the stacked decorative balls — demonstrate the technical command of an artist with a substantial and documented exhibition history.