I once wrote that PYRO Gallery member Claudia Hammer “is one of those artists that fellow artists admire and students love. If you want to excel at your technique, take one of her classes. You’ll sweat, no doubt about it, but what you will learn will make you think you’re amazing.” She’s a standout in portraiture, figurative and still life, whether it’s in oil paint or pastel. Her guest in the “Modern Muse’ exhibition is Mary Dennis Kannapell, an artist who is best known for her ceramic sculpture. Her muses? Life, earth and our connection to it. Her work is mystical, yet grounded. Hammer and Kannapell will have artist talks on Saturday, April 21 at 11 a.m.