by Carole Epp | May 24, 2017 | Uncategorized
What do you get when you mix a bunch of creatives together and form a new collective called The Bright Angle? You get awesome.
You might have come across The Bright Angle through their work on The Democratic Cup:
Image above is a collaboration: image by Michael Corney and Cup designed by East Fork Pottery.
The Democratic Cup is the brainchild of artists Ayumi Horie and Nick Moen.
“The Democratic Cup is a slow activism project that uses handmade cups to encourage people to become active and engaged citizens in our democracy. We encourage person-to-person civil conversations about social and political issues. As a country, we need conversations and connections to reinforce the dignity and inclusivity of all Americans, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexuality, and culture. The Democratic Cup believes that these cups will act as agents of social change by generating positive political discourse.” – from their website.
Or perhaps you follow the work of the individual team members of The Bright Angle:
Shannon Tovey
Laurie Caffery Harris
Evan Cornish-Keefe
Nick Moen
Regardless you should pay attention to this ceramic crew as they are on the cusp of some pretty cool design stuff and you can help out at the ground level to invest in their collective dreams : )
“The goal is to bridge a gap between studio artists and the design marketplace. I believe the best way to execute this is by creating efficient systems of well-designed handmade objects where the production process is taken into consideration when designing the original model. In order to execute the prototypes for our first collaborative collection, we utilized the Asheville Maker’s space, our neighbors at The Refinery, to 3D print models for slip-cast porcelain mold systems. Beyond that, our collaborations in Asheville have involved working with local glassblowers, leather workers, printmakers, photographers, candle makers and other ceramic artists. This is why The Bright Angle is starting in Asheville, because the creative community is full of masters of their craft and in my experience we are all here to grow together.“- Nick Moen
Just check out a few of their innovative designs below:
These fine folks have a kickstarter going and could use your help if you are so inclined.
Find out more here or here.
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by Carole Epp | May 12, 2017 | Uncategorized
Jenn Demke-Lange: The Wild
May 13, 2017 – July 1, 2017
A BFA graduate from the Alberta College of Art + Design with a major in ceramics, Jenn’s visual arts practice focusses on the intersection of traditional ceramics and illustration techniques with the use of new digital technology. In this exhibition of new work, Jenn presents an installation with mural and sculpture animated by a projection, as well as series of ceramic plates whose illustrations explore her identity as both a Canadian and as a mother. She comments: “Recollecting my own personal experiences camping as both a child and in motherhood, this body of work celebrates the experience of wilderness and its ability to de-civilize… While adults easily become tame to civilization, it is the perspective and inherent nature of a child that can re-connect us to the innocence, wonderment and freedom of our child-like wild spirit. The imaginative “How to” illustrations on my plates explore whimsical ways of connecting to the wilderness; reminding us to howl at the moon, roar with laughter and wander with wide eyes.”
Originally from Calgary, Alberta, Jenn Demke-Lange now lives in Medicine Hat with her husband, two children and beagle. Jenn produces handmade ceramic objects from tableware to jewellery (visit her website mikind.ca), in her studio at Medalta, where she also maintains a part-time position as the Residency Programs Studio Coordinator.
Portions of The Wild will travel throughout Alberta in 2017 – 2020 with the Alberta Foundation for the Arts Traveling Exhibition Program, curated by Xanthe Isbister.
Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre
Community Development, City of Medicine Hat
401 First St. SE, Medicine Hat, AB T1A 8W2
www.esplanade.ca
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by Carole Epp | May 12, 2017 | Uncategorized
image of work by 2017 guest artist: Sandy Harquail
Experience and expertise are two key ingredients of the the Fired Up! ceramics collective. This talented and professional group of clay artists celebrate 33 years of annual exhibitions in 2017.
Opening Gala: Friday May 26, 6-9pm
Saturday/Sunday, May 27,28, 10-5pm
Metchosin Community Hall
4401 William Head Rd
Metchosin, BC V9C 3Y6
Phone: 250-590-5744
Over the past 32 years, there have been a total of 23 members of the Fired Up! group. The current core group consists of people who continue to produce and exhibit exciting and innovative work.
Every year the group picks a theme for the show, this years theme is FRACTAL NATURE: Works exploring the Theory of Chaos
Our Core Members
Our Guest Artists for 2017
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by Carole Epp | Apr 23, 2017 | Uncategorized
ENTWINED
“We met twelve years ago in art school and since that time, our lives and our artistic practices have ebbed and flowed and intertwined. Over the years we have often had the opportunity to make sculpture side by side in shared studios, and this closeness led us to create work that, at times, has been both conceptually and formally tied with our respective works each containing influences of the other’s. The relatively new role we now share as parents has brought us together in a much more profound way, where in both life and art, we are not just influencing each other, but truly collaborating.
Jesse Walp
“The aim for my sculpture has always been for it to feel as if imbued with life, like it has grown into existence of its own volition. These forms suggest plant growth and also borrow from the animal realm with outstretched stems, plump clusters, and layered segments. As I create these pieces, I am inspired by thoughts of the internal energies and processes that bring natural forms into being, and hope these works promote exploration and elicit discovery. As a man who spent his childhood in a home built deep in the woods, I feel an urgent need to foster in my children an understanding of how compelling, beautiful and complex nature is, especially because their early years are being spent in a house, on a postage stamp yard, within a concrete landscape. Though squeezed within the confines of the built environment, the dandelions pushing up through the cracks in the sidewalk, the rolly pollies underneath the rock in the backyard, and the decaying log in the park still play a very significant role in their understanding of the natural world.”
Bethany Krull
“The influence of motherhood has made its mark on my work, and the animal figure has become much more personally symbolic to me since I have had children. The hungry baby bird, and the furless and helpless newborn mouse perfectly embody this season of my life, where nurturing and protection are paramount. Explorations of the beauty, vulnerability and fragility of the natural world, and our species influence on its degradation go hand in hand with a desire to shelter my children and to ensure their blissful ignorance as they are threatened by countless dangers. Concerns about the morality of our politics, the health of our environment, and our own species’ ultimate survival are amplified when they are seen as a reflection in the eyes of our children.”
Show is up April 21 – May 27 @ Indigo Art in Buffalo NY
