Artist of the Day: Vicki Hardin

by Carole Epp | Dec 18, 2009 | Uncategorized

I’m sure not many of you are strangers to the amazing Vicki Hardin and her tireless work for our ceramics community. If you are, do make sure to check out the links posted further down. Vicki has some of the best ceramic resources out there, and to boot her studio work is incredible too! Not sure how she finds the time…Enjoy.

Bio
Vicki Hardin, an established clay artist, has worked in clay for 30 years producing raku and pit fired pottery, garnering national and regional attention and praise for her work. She has shown throughout the southwest region, extensively in Texas, where she maintains her studio, Clay Art Pottery, home and family. Her pottery is currently on view at Show of Hands Gallery in Philadelphia and at her studio. In 1984 she established Clay Art Pottery at the Chicken Farm Art Center in San Angelo, where she continues to maintain a studio and gallery space. Her site is available at VickiHardin.com. She hosts the ClayArtWebGuide, an internet website and resource to those interested in clay, and the Kiln God National Ceramic Exhibition.

Artists Statement
Handbuilding is my passion. My work reflects my appreciation of the old, ancient works of a world that has moved on. The hand-built vessels are poised on a balance between primitive simplicity and grace, which I have often explored to free myself from a production ethic. Firing with alternative processes are my interest. This particular work is hand built and then bon fired. Website: VickiHardin.com
ClayArtWebGuide.com
and KilnGodNational.com[email protected]

Artist of the Day: Leo Neuhofer

by Carole Epp | Dec 17, 2009 | Uncategorized

Today’s post is so full of images I’m almost speechless. Well I’m actually a bit speechless at the impact of this work. When I read Leo’s email stating that this “work was about memorialization and a bit of politics of the time”, well the impact was even greater. There is a monumental overtone of sadness and unease – yet also rest, a sense of paying homage and an unsettling edge to this work. I only wish I could see it in the flesh as I’m sure it would be even more amazing. This work is from a show Leo had at the Jam Factory in Adelaide,South Australia in 2007, and a bronze sculpture on the beach from a few years earlier.

A bit of background about LEO NEUHOFER:

Education
2004 Bachelor of Visual Arts, Honours, University of SA, Underdale Campus
1987 Life drawing, Central School of Art, SA
1976 School of Art, University of SA Bachelor of Visual Arts

Professional Development
2000-2001 Residency – University of SA Ceramic Studio
2000 Residency- JamFactory Contemporary Craft and Design Ceramic Studio
1987 JamFactory Workshops
1987 Member of Central Studio Collective
1979 – 1986 Thrower, Bennett’s Magill Pottery Workshops
1978 Wood Sculpture, ST Antonin Noble Val, France

Selected Solo Exhibitions
2007 Connections, Jam Factory Contemporary Craft and Design, Adelaide, SA
2001 Translations, JamFactory Contemporary Craft and Design, Adelaide, SA
1996 Greenaway Gallery, Kenttown, SA Untitled
1994 Gargantuan Prospect Gallery, Prospect, SA
1993 Soulfairing Festival Theatre Foyer, Adelaide Festival Centre, Adelaide, SA
1992 Prospect Gallery Studio, Prospect, SA Untitled
1992 Christine Abrahams Gallery, Richmond Vic Untitled

Selected Group Exhibitions
2007 SA Ceramic Award ,Central Gallery, Norwood, SA
2006 Collectanea, South Australia Museum, Adelaide, SA
2005 Crockery, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA
2005 SA Ceramic Award, Central Gallery, Norwood, SA
2004 The Last Picture Show, N Gallery Uni SA Graduation Show, Underdale, SA
2002 Summer Group Show, Haeciety Art Gallery, Melbourne VIC
2001 SA Ceramic Award, Central Gallery, Norwood, SA
2001 10 years of Jamboree, JamFactory Contemporary Craft and Design, Adelaide, SA
2001 Blanc, Artspace Festival Centre, Adelaide, SA
2001 Odyssey, Adelaide, Hindley St,.SA
2001 Jamboree Clay JamFactory Contemporary Craft and Design, Adelaide, SA
2000 19th National Craft Acquisition Award, Darwin, NT

Collections
Art Gallery of South Australia, SA
City of Salisbury, SA
City of Prospect, SA
South Australian Cricket Association, SA
Artbank, NSW
City of Tea Tree Gully, SA Commissions City of Holdfast Shores, SA
City of Salisbury, SA
SA Orange Lane Market, SA
Australia Remembers – City of Prospect, SA Awards
South Australian Ceramic Award 2005

Publications
“Forms into New Bodies”, Christine Nicholls,
World Sculpture News vol; 14 no.2 spring 2008
Ceramics Art and Perception issue 61 Sept 2005
SA Ceramic Award 2001, 2005, 2007
Gold Coast Ceramic Award 1998

Artist of the Day: Aaron Nelson

by Carole Epp | Dec 16, 2009 | Uncategorized

There are a few good reasons why I’m looking into applying for a residency at Medalta International AIR program; one of the reasons however is unrelated to making any of my own work (or maybe not) – it’s to go and meet today’s artist. I’m completely taken by Aaron’s work and the translucency of the clay body he’s developed. (yes he developed it, you can’t buy it in a store…sadness) Maybe if I get to go to Medicine Hat, i’ll find a way to get my hands on the recipe – as I reckon it’s got my beloved Southern Ice Porcelain beat….

About the Artist

“Inspired by the translucent nature of porcelain and the deep rich colours of his glazes, Aaron Nelson creates unique designs that are influenced by traditional Asian aesthetics as well as modern European design.

Currently Aaron is working with experimental, highly translucent soft paste porcelain that matures at an extremely low temperature. His interest in this new material, for which there are few historical precedents, grows out of a concern for the environment and reducing the carbon footprint of his practice. With his new porcelain body, he is able to marry the gesture, spontaneity and aesthetics of hand-thrown ceramics with material a generally associated with industrial ceramics. He is intrigued by the capacity of ceramics to engage global ideas that are both ethical and technological in nature.

After previous studio practices in Victoria, Chicago, Vancouver and Montana, Aaron Nelson is currently the Artistic Director of the Shaw International Centre for Contemporary Ceramics in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Aaron has taught in Canada and the US.”

You can contact Aaron about his amazing work or about the Medalta International Artists in Residence through their website www.medalta.org
or
Aaron Nelson
Artistic Director
e. [email protected]

(oh and keep yours eyes peeled for info about the Medalta AIR, i’ll be posting the 2010 info very soon…)

Artist of the Day: Laura B. Cooper

by Carole Epp | Dec 15, 2009 | Uncategorized

Last month when I was posting about some great Etsy finds I posted some of the work of today’s artist, Laura B. Cooper. You can see that post here. I loved the subtlety of her work, how a minimalist approach to decoration really worked to highten the reading of her forms and textures. So it’s with pleasure that I post some new pieces of hers today. Enjoy!

In her words:

“My name is Laura B. Cooper and I am a ceramic artist based out of Athens, Georgia, where I live with my husband and daughter.

The work I am currently focusing on deals mainly with gestural interpretations of various types of vessels. I am interested in texture, repetition, subtleties, and cadence that can be found in forms. I also find that irregularities which may disrupt the form and throw the viewer off a bit to be very fascinating.”

Make sure to stop by her Etsy shop for more images and to purchase her work.

Artist of the Day: John Dorsey

by Carole Epp | Dec 14, 2009 | Uncategorized

When you’re away from an academic environment, whether you were there as a student or faculty (i’ve been both and I miss both tremendously) studio practice seems to be so focused on productivity and we (I speak for myself here) rarely afford ourselves the time for creative research, ie: messing about in the mud and trying out fun things with the kilns. When your livelyhood depends on successful firings and pleasing your customers and gallery owners, sometimes we miss out. It’s hard to remind ourselves to play, even a bit each day, as a warm up even. Maybe something I should add to my new years resolution list…

Anyhow I got thinking about this after looking at the remarkable work of today’s artist: John Dorsey and reading his blog dedicated to an interesting collaboration and an even more interesting kiln design…it reminded me of the community spirit, collaboration and fun that I miss from an academic environment. Time for this tired brain to be re-invigorated with a residency I think.

Here’s a bit from the blog:
“Welcome to the Green Fire blog where we will be bringing you the on going story of the Nobles and Harvard kiln building collaboration. This summer ceramic artist Masakuza Kusakabe conducted a workshop where participants helped build his innovative smokeless wood kiln.”

The kiln is a small, woodfired kiln that is smokeless, designed by Masasaku Kusakabe. This project is a unique collaboration between Noble and Greenough School, where John teaches, and Harvard University Ceramics Program, under Nancy Selvage.

And here’s John’s stunning work:

More images of his work are available on his website:
http://johndorseyceramics.com/home.html

In his email John told me that, “This collaboration has really changed my approach to my work. The availability of wood fire is so exciting and the immersion into Japanese ceramics in recent months has significantly charged my batteries. We’ll see where it all ends up.”

Indeed I’ll be looking forward to hearing more from John about the kiln as well as the impact of the collaboration on his studio practice. Please keep us posted John!