Charlie and Charlotte Go to Clayworks!

Hello!
Its that time of year again! Baltimore Clayworks offers an open call for entries for their show: Solo Cup Benefit Exhibition.  Artists donate cups to the Clayworks an in turn they are eligible for a chance at their own solo show!

The show opens August 17th! Be sure to check it out!

Also, I will have a June/July POTM up soon! There will still be two artists, and THREE(!) pieces!! It has been a crazy busy summer but it will be up soon!

May POTM: Jason Burnett

     Sooo late this month! With the wedding getting ever so close and studio moves, I completely forgot to write about this month's awesome piece! I am really very excited to finally own a piece from this month's artist Jason Burnett.  He has had a HUGE influence on my current work and really changed my way of thinking about surface.  I first read about Jason in Ceramics Monthly, where he had been published for his printmaking style of surface decoration.  The timing of this article could not have been better. I was desperate for inspiration on surface treatment and his approach drove me really explore depth in my work.

JASON BURNETT

Yunomi

     Like I said, I am VERY excited to own one of Jason's pieces.  His work is very popular, and I always seem to find the work too late!  When I heard that he was participating in AKAR's yunomi invitational, I was stoked.  This little guy is perfect for light summer sipping.  There is a thumb dent in the back (not pictured) that makes holding it very comfortable.  One of my favorite features of the yunomi is how it "floats" off the table.  By having such a severe gap between the foot and the walls of the cup, he creates a trompe l'oeil floating effect making it feel like it is hovering in space.  :)
    Jason has a very involved process for his surfaces.  Originally a printmaker, Jason incorporates those roots into his ceramic work.  He starts by screen printing slip onto news print and then transferring that to his freshly slipped work.  From there he adds stamping and other marks to the piece.

      My fascination begins with the vocabulary of vessels. They narrate our domestic interiors and reflect daily routines. Stained coffee cups, cracked collector plates, and precious ceramic heirlooms all have stories that are worth translating.
Through personal expression of stains, implied cracks and over refined patterns I suggest evidence of my own calamitous tales of adolescence, variations of landscape and interest in pop culture. I aspire to create fantastical vessels that celebrate vulnerability and beauty, sugarcoat life’s escapades and serve as a bridge between the real and surreal.

To learn more about Jason and his work check out his website or his facebook page!

Stay tuned for June's POTM; another Andrew pick!
Don't know whats going on? Click here to read about my POTM project!

Thanks Everyone!

Small Favors VIII

     Come down to The Clay Studio in Philadelphia to see me and my work! I am very pleased to say that Sophia the Tiny has been accepted into the show Small Favors VIII. The Clay Studio is one of my favorite ceramic galleries and I am honored to be a part of this show! There are a lot of great pieces so come check the out. If you cannot makes tin person check out the online gallery here.  The show opens Friday, May 3rd 2013 between 5pm and 9pm.  See you there!

Sophia the Tiny. ^6 Stoneware, Slips, Stain Wash, Gold Lustre.

     Also, I am very happy to announce that I will be a featured artist at the First United Methodist Church of Moorestown, Nj this June.  On June 7th, 2013, I will be at the first friday cafe and sale.  My work will be on display and for sale, with a percentage of my proceeds going to the monthly charity. Check back later this month for more info!

Piece of the Month: Nick Ramey

Hello All!
Its about that time for another installment of my extended new years resolution quest. This month I decided to go with a terracotta piece for one specific reason; I don't have one piece of functional terracotta. Well I have had my eye on this bowl for some time and I am super excited to have it in our new home. YES, you read that correctly. Andrew and I moved into our new place at the begining of the month. We brought very few dishes and things, so our cabinets are just asking for new work to be added.

Anyway, here is April's POTM

NICK RAMEY

Bowl

    

     So I am in LOVE with this little bowl.  I first read about Nick in Ceramics Monthly some time back and was wowed by his work.  Its so rich and vibrant.  He builds in these moments for his washes that only deepen his treatment of the surface.  The bottom of the bowl has an awesome chattered texture (I love chattering!) and the rich red really pops against the green. Oh, and that green!  The color is right up my alley. There is a great subtle texture on the outside from the circles.  I really enjoy how the rim is thick, but the because of the foot, the piece isn't clunky. It looks like its defying gravity.  :)

Nick Ramey is currently an artist in residence at the Baltimore Clayworks. He has been published in both Ceramics Monthly as well as Larks 500 series. His work consists of washed terracotta pieces that are both thrown and handbuilt.

"Throughout my career in the field of ceramics, creating functional pottery has always been important. I believe that handmade pottery should be beautiful to look at, and equally important, should be comfortable to use on a daily basis. The aesthetic qualities and functionality should go hand and hand to make the piece truly successful. I like to think of my pottery as functional sculptures, which will keep the viewer coming back day after day, discovering something new each time. My work uses red earthenware clay along with underglazes, slips, ceramic decals, and metallic luster. The inspiration comes from both handmade and commercial ceramics, from the functional to the kitschy, and I am trying to create interesting juxtapositions between these different elements."

Learn more about Nick Ramey and his amazing work here.

Find out more about the POTM project here!

Piece of the Month: Paul Donnelly

         We're back with the third installment of my Piece of the Month project!  This month I had the opportunity to head down to the Clay Studio in Philadelphia for an exhibition.  The Clay Studio has such a wonderful collection of work for purchase in their sales gallery, and every time I am down that way I like to get a little something.  This time it was these wonderful bowls from Paul Donnelly.  Now I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised that I could afford not one, but two pieces with my modest budget.  One of the greatest things about functional ceramics is that it is affordable.  For someone like myself (on a tight budget) I can get a piece of work by someone well known in the community.  I mean, I wrote about Paul in my thesis! And now I own his work in my home, how exciting!  So here we are with March's piece(s)....

PAUL DONNELLY

      As I said earlier, Paul Donnelly was someone who I incorporated into my thesis.  I LOVE his work and its texture.  Texture is a big thing in my life, and I find myself loving pieces that exemplify this.  These bowls are such a lovely addition to my life.  The glaze pooling is almost water-like, especially with the blue.  Words that come to mind when I use these bowls are Quiet, Serene, Peace...  The detail work at the bottom is so well balanced by the thick white rim at the top that it has a calming effect. The bowls are a great example of a well refined body of work, which is exactly why I look to Paul for inspiration.  LOVE!


Find out more about Paul Donnelly on his website: HERE

Can't wait for my piece next month!! This is such a wonderful project for me, hope you're all enjoying it as well!!  To read about what this is all about click here.

Piece of the month: Shawn O'Connor

February was Andrew's month to pick a piece! It was really great seeing him go through the galleries and make his decision. He and I have totally different aesthetics, so it was really an awesome experience to look through new artists. As we were looking, I quickly found out that Andrew really likes earthy atmospheric pieces. After some browsing he finally chose two pieces. I'll only talk about the one, because the other is going to NCECA (nice!) and we won't get until April.  Sooooo here it is!!

Shawn O'Connor

Yunomi

I really love this little guy!  The texture reminds me of a dried palm frond and feels almost like wood.   The piece has a really great weight to it and I love the contrast with the smooth liner glaze.  The selling feature for Andrew and I was this lovely blushing of colors on the surface.  I love the rich tones that were created from his firing process. 

About Shawn:

Shawn O’Connor was born and raised in Minot, ME. Shawn completed his BFA at the University of Southern Maine in 2005. After his undergraduate studies, Shawn went on to be a resident and staff member at Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts in Newcastle, ME. He also completed a six-week residency at the Robert M. MacNamara Foundation on Westport Island, ME. In May of 2010, Shawn received his MFA in Ceramics from Syracuse University. The main focus of his research in graduate school revolved around wood firing. While at Syracuse, Shawn designed and constructed a train style wood kiln. He later went on to publish an article about his kiln in the Log Book, an international Journal devoted to wood firing. Shawn most currently completed, an Artist-in-Residence at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. Shawn’s work has been shown nationally in numerous exhibitions.

Find out more about Shawn HERE!

Sneak peek!

It's almost time! The wedding is in just under 7 months, and I have finally started planning things. I'll leave you with this to figure out....

New Years Project

Hello Everyone!
    Happy New Year!  This year for my resolution I have given myself a bit of project.  Similar to the mug of the month promotions places have going, I am doing a piece of the month plan.  I have recently been thinking about how my home will look once Andrew and I start our lives together.  What a better way to fill our home than with lovely, one of a kind, handcrafted, works of functional art!  So how will it work??
     Each month I have set aside a small budget to buy one piece of ceramic art.  With that budget I'll attempt to slowly start filling our cabinets while also building a wonderful ceramic collection.  Each month I'll try to get something different that falls under a certain category. (Ex: mug, plate, bowl, serving, etc...) I'm really excited for this and will post what piece I get every month, along with information on the artist who made it! So here we go!!

January Piece of the Month- Yunomi

Kristen Kieffer

     I am very excited to have a Kristen Kieffer piece in my home finally!  Kristen was my first real experience watching a ceramic artist demo their work (outside of class).  I have always really loved her work and find great inspiration from both her work as well as her success as a studio potter.  I really love this yunomi, it's perfect for milk or juice.  I find myself rotating the cup in my hand in between sips to feel all the texture.  The satin glaze in lovely to drink from and the shape fits my hand well.  The amount of texture and depth in this piece keeps me starring at it every time I use it. Last, I just love how the glaze causes the piece to almost glow...Its just..splendid! :D 

To find out more about Kristen Kieffer:

http://kiefferceramics.com/

https://www.facebook.com/KiefferCeramics

And here is her etsy shop

http://www.etsy.com/shop/kiefferceramics

     Keep checking back throughout the year to see whats next!

Up next month:  Andrew's Choice!