Guest Artist in Residence Lecture – Peter Beard

by Carole Epp | Sep 9, 2012 | Uncategorized

Thursday, September 13, 6pm
Please join us for a reception and
lecture for our new Guest Artist In Residence, Peter Beard, on
Thursday, September 13th. Reception for the artist will start at 6:00pm
followed by the lecture at 6:30pm. This event is open to the public,
free of charge. Visit HERE to register.

Peter Beard creates works of art in ceramics, bronze and stone which combine
technical skill with innovation, craftsmanship with ingenuity, passion with
intellect. Each piece is unique and intriguing, each invites us to look
and feel, to make associations with personal experiences and recall memories
from our past. They truly feed the senses and give delight.
Much of the work is inspired by nature, particularly landscape and its
formation by the forces of wind and water. There are echoes of the ripples
left in the sand by the retreating tide, of the growth of lichens and
fungi, of the patterns in fossils, shells and seaweed. Nothing is treated
literally; these are the starting points for explorations which Peter
develops in his studio, sometimes over many years.
An equally powerful influence in his work has been the art of ancient
Egypt, evident in many of the forms of his vessels and particularly in
their glazes. The result can be a striking blend of ancient and modern,
timeless objects which will resonate in a thousand years as strongly as
they do now.
His is an evolutionary process, using a limited number of basic forms
but working with pattern and layers of colour, pushing the glazes through
different firing processes to achieve subtle variations in shading and
blistering. His colour palette shifts between pale greens and soft blues,
the cool, delicate shades of nature so that although some of the pieces
are massive and heavy, they can appear light, even fragile.
These qualities resonate in his bronze and stone work but rely on the
boldness of metal and the qualities of the natural materials.
Peter Beard’s work demonstrates conviction and power. This is the
work of a mature artist, drawing on years of experience and yet it is
ever innovative and inventive. The winner of many prestigious international
awards, and with works collected and shown by major galleries and museums
across the world, Peter Beard’s reputation as an exceptional artist
is well established and his works are highly acclaimed and sought after.

~ David Dewing
Historian and Director of the Geffrye Museum London

www.theclaystudio.org