by Carole Epp | Jul 7, 2010 | Uncategorized
The other thing I wanted to do why here was post a bit of a visual diary/sketchbook of what i’m working on since this is such a concentrated production time. I have to admit while i’m compelled to do this, the thought of exposing so much unfinished work, random thoughts and, well, potential garbage scares me. It’s hard to be vulnerable. And you know before, as much as I thought of all of you readers out there and tried to put faces to my audience, it’s been pretty creepy/cool/strange and thought provoking to actually be in a studio where there are people who will read this online and then potentially come and talk to me face to face about what’s here. It’s a pretty different feel alright. Makes you think more about what you’re writing about. But also in a positive way adds some humanity and closeness back into the whole blog/online community. Something to think about anyway.
So here we go with some images. Today was a day of some thrift store shopping and getting inspired by some new kitschy objects.
(a piece i’ve wanted to make for a long while now – the ass kissing angels)
* and on a relevant and intriguing note I must say that never before in my many years of obsessive second hand shopping have I ever (or has my companion Robin L) seen so many ceramic unicorns. Got to wonder what that’s all about all you Medicine Hatters. Unicorn Power!!!!
by Carole Epp | Jul 6, 2010 | Uncategorized
The early morning quiet of the studio. The long day of productivity stretched before me, and what am I doing? Wasting my time online : ) Sigh, habits die hard. I think for someone who is used to working in a panic state, in small 20 minute bursts, the thought of hours, days, weeks to work is a bit overwhelming. But i’ll deal don’t you worry! It’s so exciting to be here (have I said that enough times yet?) Yesturday I dug my hands in and got muddy, nothing to write home about, just some pots to get me started. I’m eager to work with Robin Dupont while he’s here and suck some soda firing expertise out of him. So I figured making some work for the soda kiln was as good as any other way to start.
As usual I think I’m spending too much time thinking about my pots. It’s a left over from grad school days when everything had to be justified theoretically and conceptually. It has left me with the inability to accept that sometimes a pot is just a pot, a vessel, a beautiful functional container.
If you have any sense of my past work in functional ware (see some pics and an artist statement
here) you’ll know of my interest in the relationship between industrially made ceramics and handmade ones and what are the signifiers/stereotypes of either. Medalta is a perfect place to be back thinking about these things being that the studio is just steps away from the old production factory/museum and a functioning production space. We had a quick but awesome tour yesturday and as Aaron mentioned we have to remember that even “industrially” made ceramics are made by hand, there are individual people in the process, it’s just a different process. So that lead me to wonder more about why/how we have this separation between small market mass production/mass industrial production/and small scale artist production. Maybe it really just boiled down to a question of aesthetics once all of the process/technology was removed. But why then have the two sides (artist vs industry) positioned themselves at such opposing sides of the spectrum. The industry side wants to generalize their audience, create the object that will have the largest commercial appeal where as the artist wants to have a singular voice, a unique vision – but wait – they want the largest commercial appeal too!
Hmmm. Commercial appeal. Unique vision. I want both, can I have both? Which has to be more compromised to realize the other?
In terms of process right now I’m working with both thrown vessels and slab construction. The thrown pieces are attempting to be loose works, speaking to their process on the wheel. The slab built are constructed using store bought objects, cheap bowls and plates, mass produced and intended to have the largest market appeal. I’m trying to use those pieces as a base upon which to overlay a unique vision, find an individual voice and highlight handmade stereotypes of ceramic production.
At the same time i’m also using commercial stamps. This a hard one for me. I’m so compelled and put off by them at the same time for similar and different reasons. I think it’s a crossover from my sculptural work to combine a bit of kitschy contemporary visual language. It’s cutsy (yum and yuck). But how to subvert a mass produced commercial stamp to produce a unique personal vision? It’s the same dilemma as using the cheap bowls and plates.
Who knows maybe it only makes mild sense in my mind. Maybe something will come out of it all, or maybe i’ll just have some nice dinnerware to take home and use.
Well anyway, that’s enough for now. Maybe some pictures later.
In the meantime if you want a different look into the residency I encourage you to check out Robin Lambert’s blog
Tiny Revolutions. He’s promised to post everyday as well so we’ll see which one of us lives up to our promises!
by Carole Epp | Jul 6, 2010 | Uncategorized
Well from crickets in the bedroom to snakes at the studio, today was filled with new friends at Medalta, oh yeah and I met the rest of the staff and artists today too : )
I really can’t tell you how excited I am to be working alongside these other incredible artists. Intimidating, yes. Inspiring, definitely. Fun, yuppers. It’s going to be a great month for so many reasons. I’m hoping over the next few weeks to get these other artists to do a brief intro to their work here on the blog so that you guys get acquainted with them as well.
In the meantime here’s a sneak peek:
Paul Maseyk
Robin Lambert
Brendan Tang
Darlene Nairne
Jeremy Hatch
Robin Dupont
by Carole Epp | Jul 4, 2010 | Uncategorized
Medalta day one. What an incredible day for a drive. I’d almost forgotten how peaceful and gorgeous it can be to drive through the prairies in the summer. I guess traveling hasn’t been quite as peaceful lately with the two year old rocking out in the backseat : ) So today was a blessing. Couldn’t have been better timed either. I needed the quiet to start thinking about what I was going to do over the next month at Medalta. Yah I know I should have sorted that out before being on a highway a few hours away, but so be it. I’ve been busy lately. It was definitely pretty incredible to drive up to the Historic Medalta site. For a ceramist it was actually pretty awe inspiring and jaw dropping. Aaron Nelson, the AIR director greated me in the parking lot and was every bit the wonderful person as he had been described to me by so many. I got a quick breeze through the studios, meeting up with the oh so wonderful Brendan Tang (if you don’t know who he is yet, well do some googling yourself cuz he’s only one of the top young hipster/see him everywhere/amazing Canadian ceramic artists – and just a plain old down to earth awesome guy as well) and then settling into the house I’ll be calling home for the next month.
Already I’m feeling the call of college life upon me. Common studios, late night chats, art and creativity everywhere. Oh how I’ve been aching for this for too long. But now the stress and joy of sorting out what to do with my time. I came prepared to either make work like mad, obsessed with making to get ideas out and progress churning; or to breathe and think for a month, something one doesn’t get to do with young children and the everyday impinging upon creative thought and production time. If I go away empty handed but brain full I will be equally as pleased. But where to begin…do I follow familiar paths or do I find a fresh start. Comfort zone or risk it all. I might have to toss a coin…either way I’ll keep you posted.
by Carole Epp | Jul 1, 2010 | Uncategorized
Upcoming Exhibition |
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July 10 – August 22, 2010
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Opening Reception:
Saturday, July 10th, 5 – 7:00 p.m.
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Featuring cups by:
Dan Anderson, Peter Beasecker, Robert Brady, Trent Burkett, Doug Casebeer,
Paul Dresang, Molly Hatch, Owen Nelsen, Lisa Orr, Craig Petey, Kari Radasch, Sandy Simon, and Akio Takamori
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Artist Talk
Opening night, 5:30 p.m.
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Special Guests:
Gary Noffke Hot forged silver spoons for tea
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David Hering Blown glass in the Venetian traditon
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(a piece i’ve wanted to make for a long while now – the ass kissing angels)
