Well NCECA in Houston is off to a great start, or at least it seems to be from what i can sense from way up here in minus 27C cold Canada. Enjoy your clay conference and sandal wearing adventures folks (no bitterness here….no sir….)
And Hide-n-seekah began this morning with some lovely pots being found. Congrats to those that won and best of luck to the rest of you in your hunting over the next few days. If you’re in the dark about Hide-n-seekah check out the details here and make sure to play along.
As for the rest of us living vicariously through facebook, instagram, twitter…I’ve decided we might need a support group to get us through the next few days and to address any FOMO issues (Fear Of Missing Out).
So if you’re like me and heading to the studio to work this morning maybe a podcast will help the time fly. Recently (back in January) I was interviewed by the amazing Ben Carter for his Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast. It was quite the honor, Ben is not only a great interviewer but an artist extraordinaire. I’ve been a huge fan of his work and his blogging for ages. So if you have a minute head on over for a listen to my late night ramblings with Ben, or check out the many other artists he’s interviewed in the course of his journeys.
What if the cyberworld of video games entered the frame of
19th century western landscape painting? Or if Ming Dynasty-style
ceramic vessels fused with the cartoon pop of contemporary
anime? Artists Alex McLeod and Brendan Tang deploy an arsenal of Asian
and Western historical styles, science fiction, popular culture, and new
technologies as they combine ceramics, photography, and projected video
to create mesmerizing fantasy worlds that probe the boundaries between
the real and the virtual.
The heart of this exhibition is a collaborative mixed-media
installation by Tang and McLeod that blends digital projection with
ceramic sculpture. Each artist is also represented by a selection of
independent work. Inspired by video games, Romantic landscape paintings,
and dioramas, McLeod’s surreal environments depicted in large panoramic
photographs exist in their own indeterminate time and space. Brendan
Tang’s colourful and wildly incongruous Manga Ormolu ceramic vessels
fuse Asian and Western historical decorative styles with pop art forms
derived from Japanese anime and manga. Guest curated by Rachel Lafo.
Everyday forms – from furniture and fruit to car engines and
confections – are transformed into poignant allegories of desire,
labour, and leisure by these two virtuoso ceramic sculptors.
Beyond the Vessel’s Edge: Ceramics from the Permanent Collection
The functional gives way to the sculptural in this collection
of ceramics by artists John Chalke, Tam Irving, Ian Johnston, Sally
Michener, Alwyn O’Brien, Linda Stanbridge, and Diana Lynn Thompson.
Surrey Art Gallery is located in the Surrey Arts Centre
13750 – 88 Avenue
Surrey, BC Canada V3W 3L1
1 block east of King George Blvd, in Bear Creek Park
Leading Latvian and worldwide well known award winning porcelain and
ceramics artists Ilona Romule and Peteris Martinsons invite artists to
spend the summer together in Latvia, Zvartava manor.
During 21 – 31 July, 2013 in Zvartava manor will be held Masterclass
“Lithophane” – a practice based workshop in lithophane technique by
Ilona Romule for participants with figurative and narrative ideas.
„Lithophane” Masterclass will be followed by a Symposium “Masculine
and feminine ceramics” which will take place from 2 – 12 August, 2013.
The symposium will be led in tandem by Ilona Romule and Peteris
Martinsons.
Three money prizes have been established for the best works created
during the Symposium “Masculine and feminine ceramics”. Symposium
masters – Ilona Romule and Peteris Martinsons – together with each
Symposium participant will select one of the created artworks to be
dedicated for the symposium exhibition and afterwards to be left at
disposal of Symposium organizers.
From all selected artworks for the exhibition, Symposium masters will
take the decision on 3 best works to be awarded with following money
prizes – 250 EUR for the 1st place, 200 EUR for the 2nd place and 150
EUR for the 3rd best artwork.
For participation fees and application procedure, please see the official website www.symposiums.lv
You are also welcome to follow the updates on their Facebook page.
Referring to the two types of geometry—2D and 3D—“Plane & Solid”
presents four artists who experiment with shape, pattern, and color to
create work with strong geometric structure. In the wall sculptures of
Alison Reintjes, the paintings of Hans Peter Sundquist, and the
functional ceramics of Marc Digeros and Mark Pharis, viewers are invited
to investigate the boundary between art and math. Through both
intuitive and scientific approaches, the artists use simple shapes to
construct objects of both intrigue and elegance.
For availability or to purchase, please contact the Gallery Director:[email protected] View the show online here.