by Carole Epp | Feb 6, 2011 | Uncategorized

On Petra Bittl’s work One of mankind’s oldest cultural skills has experienced a renaissance in recent decades. Experimentation, the exploration of new innovative technical avenues and the interpretation of trends in contemporary sculpture and forms have raised ceramic art to a level that increasingly achieves recognition in today’s art world. Renowned national and international artists, painter or sculptors have accepted the challenge of unlocking the creative potential of fired earth and discover “ceramics”. Petra Bittl is one of these young artists who find their artistic expression in this genre.

Petra Bittl’s creative output has its origins in the intensive relationship between sketching, painting and clay. The aesthetic integration of sculpture and image transcend the pure form of the object. An alloy of form and content is forged within the ceramic sculpture itself, its porcelain epidermis a surrogate for canvas or paper. Drawings and pictorial elements define the sculptural form and detail both content and meaning with facet-rich autonomous stylistic idiom in each sculptural object. Petra Bittl’s sculptural approach defines itself primarily via the line as the essential element of form, graphic and structure. Lines structure her surfaces and animate forms and colours; they vibrate with the material’s own lively surface. They permeate and characterize the surface of the objects or guide the eye from the second into the third dimension as an extension of malleable design, thus encapsulating their environment. Ceramics as a medium gives the artist a wide-ranging freedom in determining the style of the lines, lines that are created by glaze painting techniques, sgraffito or the use of differently coloured clays – white porcelain on a base of almost pure black clay, as an example. Pure white finely textured porcelain stands in animated contrast to the coarsely grained coloured clays; the line determines the externality of the form, interrupting the harmony of the surfaces. Likewise, their fluid structure sets in motion the viewer’s perception, opening the object’s expressive potential.

The body of work represented by the porcelain tile defines the ceramic form as a primed surface and a medium for painting and sketching – a canvas or a sheet of paper. Tiles, familiar decorative and functional elements and infinitely reproducible in industrial processes, cast off their utilitarianism and are given an artistic meaning. They reveal abstract pictorial worlds that grapple with nature or with the decoration itself. Using a pate de verre technique (comparable to the monotype process), Petra Bittl creates layers of drawings and graphic elements on a gypsum block and then transfers them to porcelain. Unique works are created, because the process rules out reproduction. The properties of the ceramic material, however, again give the artist the freedom to combine it with plastic structures, additional objects or apertures.


The open hollow forms may at first glance appear ambivalent. Borrowing elements from the classic vessel form, they reveal themselves as fabric-robed human forms, striding or resting, singly or in pairs, dominating their environment. Here again, the use of lines, ligatures and constrictions structure the figures and express movement and tranquillity. The finely structured relief-like surfaces, however, give the ceramic material a new characteristic, not inherent in its natural state – a textile materiality and flowing softness.
@font-face { font-family: “Verdana”; }@font-face { font-family: “Arial Unicode MS”; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }
Petra Bittl’s artistic interest also manifests itself in a balancing act between ceramics’ stability and its fragility. Lines weave themselves with great sensitivity and conceptional calculation into shapes, endowing the solid clay medium with a powerful lightness. Strands and apertures filter the light and draw the viewer deep into the object. The contours of the surface become consciously tangible through the interplay of light and shade. The hard material appears soft and endearing. The artistic influence – as in all her work – is evident, be it the characteristic style of the formative hand or the revelation of principles of technical design.
Petra Bittl has consciously chosen an artistic direction in the sense of aesthetic material research in her work with ceramics and the process of crafts production. Her work does not draw its integrity and style from the development of new techniques, but rather from pushing the envelope of the ceramic material and its close relationship with drawing and painting. Translation: John Burland p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } www.petra-bittl.de
by Carole Epp | Feb 3, 2011 | Uncategorized

Recently the amazing sweet and generous (and equally talented) Vipoo Srivilasa contacted me about an auction he was putting together for the QLD government flood relief. I was incredibly honored to be approached to participate as Australia will always be near and dear to my heart and many of my close friends live there, some in the affected areas of the flood.
Here’s a bit from his website: Prominent Melbourne ceramicist Vipoo Srivilasa was distressed by the unfolding tragedy, and has organised an auction featuring the donated works of well known and award-winning artists to raise funds for The Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal (www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html).
Srivilasa’s call-out for his friends and colleagues to donate has exceeded his expectations, and he is currently fielding expressions of support from as far away as North America. “The response has been overwhelming! I was planning for maybe twenty artists to join me but I reached forty in no time. It’s turning into a much bigger project than I expected”, he admits.
The auction will happen online at ebay.com.au from Friday 4th to Sunday 6th February, 2011.
It is now live at http://shop.ebay.com.au/srivilasa/m.html
Each Item is listed to finish 2 minutes apart, with the first item to finish on Sunday 6 Feb at 8.00pm, and the last one to finish at 9.30pm.
The idea is if you miss the first piece, you can still bid on the second or third piece and so on. To be able to make a bid you need an eBay account (www.ebay.com.au ). You can register for free.
Please follow the link for more details: http://help.ebay.com.au/Help/Getting_Started/Manage_your_account/Registration
or go straight to registration page: https://scgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?RegisterEnterInfo&siteid=15&co_partnerid=2&usage=0&ru=default&rafId=0&encRafId=default
There are some pretty amazing artists donating work (42 pieces I believe), as well as little old me, so please go and check it out, bid on some amazing work, and please forward the links as far an wide as possible.
UPDATE:
Here’s the full list of artists:
Akio Takamori (USA)
Angela Valmanesh (SA)
Avital Sheffer (NSW)
Ayumi Horie (USA)
Bridget Bodenham (VIC)
Carole Epp (CAN)
Christopher Plumridge (VIC)
Cyrus Tang (VIC)
Dawn Whitehand (VIC)
Fleur Schell (WA)
Gerry Wedd (SA)
Greg Daly (NSW)
Heather Creet (TAS)
Irianna Kanellopoulou (VIC)
Jacqueline Clayton (NSW)
Jane Sawyer (VIC)
Janet DeBoos (ACT)
Janet Mansfield (NSW)
Julie Bartholomew (NSW)
Kenji Uranishi (QLD)
Kevin White (VIC)
Laura McKibbon (CAN)
Lene Kuhl Jakobsen (VIC)
Louise Boscacci (NSW)
Lynda Draper (NSW)
Marilu Guzman
Naoko Yehenara (NSW)
Paul Aburrow (VIC)
Paul Davis (VIC)
Penny Smith (TAS)
Sandra Black (WA)
Sandra Black (WA)
Shannon Garson (QLD)
Shin Koyama (QLD)
Simon Braund (VIC)
Somchai Charoen (NSW)
Sony Manning (VIC)
Sophie Milne (VIC)
Tanawat Suttasoontorn (VIC)
Tatiana Gvozdetskia (VIC)
Vicki Grima (NSW)
Vipoo Srivilasa (VIC)
Cheers!
by Carole Epp | Feb 2, 2011 | call for entry, emerging artist, job posting, monday morning eye candy, movie day, residency opportunity, show us your influences, technical tuesday
DEADLINE: MARCH 2, 2011
Exhibit Dates: April 15 to May 13, 2011
For millennia people have made things out of burnt earth. From bowls and jars essential for preserving foods to ensure survival, to written documents and official seals, to talismans of devotion for various deities and other ritualistic purposes. Ancient kilns were one of humanity’s earliest forms of factory-based mass-production. Today the role of fired earth persists in both old and new ways. FIRED is an invitation for artists to submit works that in some way represent the use of the medium of ceramics. There is no other thematic restriction, and our jury fully expects to consider a range of types of work, from the very traditional to highly unexpected ‘contemporary’ interpretations of the medium. Manifest’s goal is to assemble a diverse array of works of ceramics for an exhibit spanning our Drawing Room and Parallel Space galleries that will be unified by virtue of its exploration of the medium, but intriguing and insightful due to the wide variety of approaches taken by artists working in ceramics. Eligibility: FIRED is open to everyone. Professionals as well as students are encouraged to enter. The only limitation is that entries must represent original works of art and represent the incorporation of ceramics as an essential part of the work. Media: Open to all traditional and non-traditional genre and media, including mixed media, which incorporate ceramics in some significant way. Jury and Curator: Manifest’s selection process involves a complex two-part system. This exhibit will be juried by a 5-9 member panel of professional and academic advisors with a broad range of expertise. The jury will then pass along their recommendations to the exhibit curator who will make the final selections from the jury-approved pool. Catalog: Manifest will produce a full-color catalog documenting the work selected for exhibit. Each exhibiting artist will receive one free copy of the catalog. Manifest is unique among galleries and museums around the world for designing and producing a high-quality full-color book for every exhibit produced. By offering one complimentary copy of the catalog to exhibitors, Manifest continues to expand how it serves its non-profit mission and the artists who make it all possible. Artists will receive their copy either in person when picking up work after the exhbit, or with the return shipment of their artwork. Additional copies can be purchased via the online bookstore. For examples of past catalogs visit Manifest Press. Delivery and Return of Work: All work accepted for the exhibition must arrive ready to install. Works not gallery-ready, or not exhibiting good craftsmanship, may be omitted from the exhibit. Accepted work that differs significantly from the entry images or suffers from poor presentation, will be disqualified. Please note that professional-level presentation is a must. Work may be hand delivered or shipped. Shipped works must be sent in an easily reusable container/packaging with return shipping prepaid. Works will be returned in the same manner as delivered or via UPS/USPS. All work must arrive at Manifest by the specified date (see calendar below). Accepted work will remain on display for the duration of the exhibition. Works not claimed within 30 days of the end of the exhibit will become the property of Manifest. The artists are responsible for all shipping costs. Calendar:
March 2 March 14 March 21 April 9 April 15 May 13 May 14-20 |
Deadline for receipt of entries Notifications sent by email Hi-res images needed for catalog and PR Artwork due to Manifest by this date Opening reception Final Day of Exhibition Pick-up/ship artwork |
Insurance: Works will be insured while on gallery premises. Insurance covers theft, vandalism, damage caused by gallery patrons or staff (in accordance with insurance policy). PLEASE NOTE: Insurance does not cover damage caused during shipping due to any reason, including mishandling by carrier or failure of packaging to protect works in transit. Also not covered is damage caused to work by failure of the work itself, its mounting systems installed by the artist, or disintegration/degradation due to the nature/quality of materials or craftsmanship. Entry Fee: Each work submitted must be accompanied by a $10 non-refundable entry fee. Number of entries is unlimited. Entry fee must be paid by U.S. check or U.S. or International money order made payable to MANIFEST, or by credit card via PayPal. (If paying by PayPal PLEASE use the paypal link provided on the page that follows the submission of the online entry form.) Detail images may be included at no additional cost, but should only be included if necessary for understanding the nature or quality of the artwork. How many works should I submit?
The average number of works submitted to typical Manifest calls is 3. Some artists like to submit several more, especially if they have a couple different bodies of work which they’d like our jury to consider, or if they have a suite of works that are interrelated. While we have absolutely no minimum number required (other than one), nor do we give an advantage to those who submit more, it is helpful to have a few options to select from. Our jury often gains insight into one work by seeing it in context with a few others by the same artist. And we do routinely accept pairs or sets of work by artists once they are determined to be a finalist. Sale of Work: All work, unless indicated as not for sale (NFS), will be available for sale during exhibit. Manifest Gallery will retain a commission of 30% on all artwork sold during the exhibition. Images: In an effort to conserve resources Manifest accepts only digital images/files for consideration. See specifications below. The Gallery will retain the submitted images of accepted artwork and reserves the right to use the images in publications and gallery publicity. CD’s of works not selected will only be returned if accompanied by a SASE. SUBMISSION DETAILS / TO ENTER >>
via artrubicon
by Carole Epp | Feb 2, 2011 | Uncategorized
Credit – Linnis Blanton
Canyon Wall, Linnis Blanton, 29 x 16 x16, High-fired stoneware, slab built and thrown, then altered.
This spring, the Museum of the Gulf Coast invites high school students to submit ceramic or clay sculptures for the annual High School Art Contest. The competition is inspired by Earth Songs, an upcoming exhibition of clay vessels created by ceramic artist Linnis Blanton which will be on view at the Museum March 27 through May 30.
Student entries are limited to 18” x 18” and may be painted, glazed, fired, or plain. The submission deadline is March 18, 2011 and entries can be dropped off at the Museum of the Gulf Coast located at 700 Procter St. in Port Arthur or at The Art Studio, Inc. located at 720 Franklin St. in Beaumont. All works must be accompanied by an official entry form to be considered for display. Entry forms may be obtained at the Museum of the Gulf Coast or on the Museum’s website at www.museumofthegulfcosat.org under the Education and Outreach link.
Entries will be displayed at the Museum of the Gulf Coast from March 27-April 26 in association with Earth Songs. Blanton will judge student works and an awards ceremony will be held March 27 at 2 p.m. during the opening reception for Earth Songs.
The Museum of the Gulf Coast is owned and operated by the Port Arthur Historical Society in partnership with Lamar State College – Port Arthur and the City of Port Arthur. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday. For more information about the Museum call 409-982-7000.
via
by Carole Epp | Jan 28, 2011 | call for entry, emerging artist, job posting, monday morning eye candy, movie day, residency opportunity, show us your influences, technical tuesday
In May 2011, Ceramics Monthly will feature the works of emerging clay artists. Those actively pursuing a career in ceramics for less than ten years are eligible.
To be considered submit the following:
• Up to five professional-quality digital images (300 ppi resolution on CD, plus a full-size color print of each image), with complete descriptions of works.
• Full contact information including e-mail, artist’s statement and résumé.
Mail to:
Emerging Artist, Ceramics Monthly, 600 N. Cleveland Ave., Suite 210, Westerville, OH 43082.
Do not submit materials in binders or folders. Emailed submissions and submissions of more than five images will not be considered. Submitted materials will not be returned. Due to the volume of entries, no phone calls, please.
Arrival deadline: February 25, 2011
Do you know an emerging artist? Do they need a nudge? Pass this along and help them get the recognition they deserve.