monday morning eye candy: Courtney Murphy


Courtney Murphy
Artist Statement
My designs are influenced by simplified
abstractions of nature, children’s artwork, folk art, mid-century modern
objects and textiles, books, thoughts and conversations.  More recently I have been looking at
pattern and interactions of color. I tend to work slowly, and I’m attracted to
clean simple forms.  I pay careful
attention to line, both in my drawing, and in the profiles or outlines of the
forms themselves.
I
am intrigued by the details and imperfections found in hand-made objects, and
the ways in which these marks reflect the maker of the piece.  A slight change in the profile or image
on a cup determines whether a person will be drawn to one over another.  Bringing a new piece of pottery into my
home brings a small clue into the life of the maker, what they were interested
in, and perhaps what they were thinking at the time.  Subtle details that you might not notice right away become
evident through the passage of time and continued daily interaction.
I
love creating functional work because of the personal connection created when
the work leaves my studio to become a part of somebody else’s  routine.  So many important moments in life are centered around the
table.  Cooking and preparing food
can bring people together in celebration. 
The presentation of food can be enhanced and complemented by a beautiful
serving piece.  Handmade pots can
also play a large role in quieter times, when you share a cup of coffee or
glass of wine with a friend.  When
I look in my kitchen cabinets, I am reconnected to experiences of the past few
years.  Each handmade dish holds
it’s own history and connection to a particular time and place.  It’s nice to have these personal
objects help preserve the memories of the places I have been and the people I
have met.

Tammie Rubin: Neverwhere & Nowhere April 8 – May 4, 2014

Opening Reception: 4:30 to 6:30pm, Thursday, April 10 with Gallery Talk at 5:30pm
The Gallery at Penn College

One College Avenue 3rd Floor, Madigan Library

17701 Williamsport, PA

United States
Dates: 
Apr 8, 2014 to May 4, 2014

 
“Neverwhere
and Nowhere” is an assemblage of collected objects; the primary
interest is transforming the familiar, disposable, and trivial into the
mythic and fantastical. Rubin explores the wonderment of magical
thinking and the charm of constructed forms and ornate contraptions. The
conical shapes of her ceramics allude to a function of channeling,
transmitting, or filtering, and reference conical forms that imply
communication: voice pipes, megaphones, dunce caps, gramophones,
steeples, and satellite dishes. Through process, she tries to satisfy
her curiosity for sumptuous fluid surfaces, and ideas of accumulation
and myth. Utilizing the amorphous properties of clay and exploring its
inherent materiality, she creates fanciful objects that feel both
familiar and alien. 
Tammie Rubin was born in Chicago, Illinois. She
completed her MFA in Ceramics at the University of Washington, and
received a BFA in Ceramics and Art History from the University of
Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, where she is now an Assistant Professor of
Ceramics & Foundations. Her work has appeared in Ceramics: Art &
Perception and Ceramics Monthly. 
There will be a “Meet the Artist”
Reception on Thursday, April 10, from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. with a gallery
talk at 5:30 p.m. The gallery will be closed from April 18 to 20. 

http://craftcouncil.org/event/tammie-rubin-neverwhere-nowhere
 

job posting: Curator of Ceramics

The ASU Art Museum at Arizona State University invites applications
for Curator of Ceramics, according to a University job posting. Founded
in 1950, the ASU Art Museum was named “the single most impressive venue
for contemporary art in Arizona” by Art in America magazine. The ASU Art
Museum is an integral part of the ASU Herberger Institute for Design
and the Arts at Arizona State University, a Research One Institution.

The Ceramics Center, a unit of the museum, was established in 2002
and houses the museum’s extensive modern and contemporary studio
ceramics collection, considered to be the finest in the United States,
the posting states. The mission of the Center is to present, interpret
and research ceramics within the broader context of contemporary art and
then disseminate these activities for ASU students, the Phoenix
community, scholars, artists and visitors worldwide. By presenting
exhibitions, making the permanent collection accessible and by
documenting ceramic activity through its archives, the Center plays a
leadership role in inspiring an appreciation of studio ceramics while
connecting to broader communities, disciplines and ideas.

Candidates must have master’s degrees in art, art history, design or
museum studies; strong interests in the history of craft and/or design
with five years (assistant rank) or seven years (associate rank)
experience in an art museum or related field; evidence of original
research and publication in the field of contemporary ceramics and/or
craft; proven records in attracting significant development support and
funding; and proven knowledge of professional museum practices.

Applicants must send or email a letter of application, a resume with
exhibition and publication lists and the names and contact information
of three references to: Chair of Curator of Ceramics Search Committee,
ASU Art Museum, P.O. Box 872911, Tempe, Ariz. 85287-2911 or
[email protected]

The application deadline is April 7, 2014; if not filled, every two weeks thereafter until the search is closed.

via Cfile Online