People that I find Interesting

I researched artist that I felt I could get basic concepts from to help find my own voice. This first artist is Lesley Baker from Indianapolis, IN. The pieces to the left are titled Reflection from the series Kohler from 2007. This is a wall piece made from porcelain that uses the technique of slip-casting and was gas fired. I like the shape of these pieces along with the flower like imagery. I also like how these pieces are not thrown. I feel like these pieces could be used as utilitarian pieces.

The piece to the right is titled Fly on the Wall from the series Wall Paper. This piece is hand built out of stoneware in 2008. The surface treatment is electric oxidation. I am inspired by the surface treatment of this piece. As you know I have been working with hand built pieces that also include flower like imagery. However this piece is sculptural and is not functional.

The two images to the left are made by the artist Tara Wilson. These pieces include organic shapes that represent river rock or other references to the natural world. The functional thrown pieces speak softly but reveal complexity in form and surface. These pieces are wood fired and show a rich natural environment on the surface. I picked Tara will to research because her pieces are functional, organic, and wood fired.

The Next two pictures above are from artist Andrew Gilliatt. I chose Andrew because I really enjoy his surface work. These pieces are porcelain and glaze with laser transfers. This is functional pottery that is fabricating objects to create visibly dynamic forms for domestic use. Andrew Gilliatt is fascinated with how people personalize and define themselves through objects that reflect their personality and aesthetic proclivities both publicly and privately.

Both of the above pieces are hand built by our teacher and his wife. The piece to our right is hand-built lip to lip cup set which; is wood fired with a shino glaze. The piece to our left is hand-built box which was low fired in red glaze. I chose Stephen Robinson and Kathleen Guss because they focus both on sculpture and utilitarian pieces. These pieces communicate more than just the use of the object which is what I am trying to attempt. Robinson and Guss want to create tactile qualities in these objects that offer an intimate relationship with the user and provide the objects with an inherent value that gives them a life of their own. I really enjoy the fact that these are utilitarian pieces that are hand-built.

PS. Sorry about this pics I dont know how to Blog.

This quarter I wanted to focus on natural beauty verses artificial/painting on beauty. While thinking about my concept for all of my pieces I was looking at many different potters for inspiration. I was also looking to see how many other artist use specific tools to get my innovative thoughts flowing to create something new and different.

When it comes to my skill level in pottery I think that I am getting better but I am still a beginner. In the beginning of the quarter when we had to make mugs I wanted to just make a straightforward simple mug that was fairly large. When looking at Courtney Murphy’s mugs (left, 1) I was inspired by the simplicity of her mugs. I am not saying that this Courtney’s work looks like beginners work at all. But sometimes less is more. Although I personally prefer a bigger handle, one that fit more fingers, I really like these mugs. I also really enjoyed the imagery s

he pained on them. The flowers and tree are simple nature drawings that are not over crowded with imagery or background colors. These mugs were throne on the wheel, they are earthenware, surface treatment was majolica, and was then fired at cone 01. After reading Courtney’s artist statement one of her comments truly spoke to me. She says, “I enjoy the process of scratching into the clay to draw my images. Because of this process, each piece created is unique, and there is a slight variation in each drawing” (3). When creating all my pieces this quarter I carved and drew on all of them and they all are unique and one of a kind even if they belong in a set.

Another artist that interested my fancy was Hayne Bayless. I found these tumblers of his (left, 2) and loved them. I was intrigued by the stencil work he had done on these cups and I thought that I could try something similar with my surface techniques on my pottery. Also,

I like the background he chose to use. The lines in the black look like wind blowing through the blades of grass. While I was still looking through his work I found many of his pieces with leaf patters on them. For example this image (left, 3) of little box he made. This stenciled work

really inspired mine this quarter. When reading about Hayne I was surprised to learn that most of his work is hand built. This is a technique that I need to get better at and it is nice to see a beautiful tumbler/cup mad

e out of sables and not just one that has been throne off the wheel. “Hayne explains that his pots are not so much about harmony, although that does happen, but more about tension. I love what spawns in the friction between what I want the material to do and what it would rather do” (2). I like his theory on the clay. With only the little experience I have, I’ve realized that more times then less, weather it is the clay, slip, or glaze I use it never really comes out like I planned.

When I was looking for more nature patterns to use for my pottery I was also looking at artist work such as Linda Arbuckle and Richard Burkett. I very much enjoy the painterly quality of Linda’s surface work in both images of the red bowl and tan tray above. Her depiction of leaves and plumbs are flowing and playful. I like that her pieces don’t seem straight edge and hard but that they feel more feminim to me. Which is exactly what I was trying to go for with all my pieces. Because, along with the nature inspired aspects of my surface work I wanted my pieces to be curvy like a woman’s figure. So to balance out my painting on my pieces with the nature aspects I wanted to make a very straight and angular face to represent artificial beauty. The face I drew is similar to this image (right). Rimas VisGirda made this sculpture and he states, “My work is influenced by the culture I live in, the machine age, the urban environment, the media, and fad and fashion” (1). After reading his artist statement it felt like he was taking the words out of my mouth. What is trying to express is exactly half of what I am trying to show in my work. This body of work I have made represents a b

attle between which is better natural beauty or the artificial beauty that we make up our selves into be with clothes, makeup, jewelry etcetera. I really enjoy all of Rimas’s work and I love the cartoon aspects of it.

As well as making cup, tumblers, and mugs I made trays and lidded vessels this quarter. The surface work and form construction I used to make these objects were the same as what I have explained above. An exa

mple of one of the tray I made is similar to Gwendolyn Yoppolo’s work. (left, 8) I made two bowls and adhered them together with a handle in the center. I love the versatility of this type of try. It can be used for so many things. Gwendolyn even says her self, “The pieces I make are questions, and they remain open-ended until fulfilled through use” (4). I like the way she states that and for this in particular dish of hers represents just that.

The potters I have listed in this paper are just a few of the many different artists I have been and will continue to look at for inspiration. They have helped me come up with new ideas on how to express my opinions visually through my pottery.

Work cited:

(1) Rimas VisGirda , http://www.cera

micstod

ay.com/potw/rimas_visgirda.htm

(2) Hayne Bayless http://www.sidewaysstudio.com/potter.html

(3) Courtney Murphy, http://www.courtneymurphy.net/statement.html

(4) Gwendolyn Yoppolo, http://www.gwendolynyoppolo.com/statement.html

Images 1 - 8, http://accessceramics.org

Title: two mugs

Series Title:

Artist: Courtney Murphy

Date: 2011

Technique: wheel thrown

Temperature: Cone 01

Glazing / Surface Treatment: Majolica

Material: Earthenware

Object Type: mug

Height: 3.5 | Width: 5 | Depth: 3.5

License: All Rights Reserved

Image 2

Title: Yunomis

Artist: Hayne Bayless

Date: 2003

Technique: hand built

Temperature: Cone 10

Glazing / Surface Treatment: black slip inlay

Material: white stoneware

Object Type: Cup Set

Height: 3 | Width: 3 | Depth: 3

License: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License

Image 3

Title: Colored Leaf Box

Artist: Hayne Bayless

Date: 2009

Technique: handbuilt

Temperature: Cone 10

Glazing / Surface Treatment: stenciled colored slip inlay

Material: white stoneware

Object Type: Box

Height: 2 | Width: 4 | Depth: 4

License: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License

Image 4

Linda Arbuckle / Oval Tray: Winter Leaves, Plum Handles

Title: Oval Tray: Winter Leaves, Plum Handles

Artist: Linda Arbuckle

Date: 2007

Technique: hand built

Temperature: Cone 03

Glazing / Surface Treatment: Majolica

Material: Terra Cotta

Object Type: Platter

Height: 2.2 | Width: 12 | Depth: 9.5

License: Attribution License

Image 5

Title: Bowl: Red Notched Orange Center

Artist: Linda Arbuckle

Date: 2005

Technique: Thrown & Altered

Temperature: Cone 03

Glazing / Surface Treatment: Majolica

Material: Terra Cotta

Object Type: Bowl

Height: 5 | Width: 12 | Depth: 12

License: Attribution License

Image 6

Richard Burkett / Wave Oval with Leaves

Title: Wave Oval with Leaves

Artist: Richard Burkett

Date: 2006

Technique: Slip-cast

Temperature: Cone 10

Glazing / Surface Treatment: Soda Glaze

Material: Porcelain

Object Type: Bowl

Height: 3 | Width: 14 | Depth: 7

License: Attribution-NoDerivs License

Image 7

Title: Lietuva (detail)

Artist: Rimas VisGirda

Date: 2006

Technique: Coil-built

Temperature: None

Glazing / Surface Treatment: slip trail, underglaze, overglaze, lusters

Material: Porcelain | with decomposed granite | granite | grog

Object Type: Sculpture

Height: 11 | Width: 8 | Depth: 3.5

License: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License

Image 8

Title: eat for two

Series Title:

Artist: gwendolyn yoppolo

Date: 2010

Technique: Thrown | handbuilt | Press molded

Temperature: Cone 10

Glazing / Surface Treatment: microcrystalline-glazed

Material: Porcelain

Object Type: Dinnerware

Height: 9 in. | Width: 16 | Depth: 7

License: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License

Research Journal Entry, Lawrence Paculan ART 465

This quarter, I have tightly focused on rendering a concept of life and death through a narrative form of figurative work. My intent for each work is to carry portions of story that can be understood collectively and open to many interpretations. One artist that influences my choice in subject matter is William Blake.In Blake’s painting “The Ancient of Days,” (1794) the composition has a direct focal point in which the pose, the anatomy, and the symbolic meaning of the sun speak out its various meanings. In a way the content is direct with vague details viewers are open translate. However, I find that the full meaning of a 2-D work is self-contained in it frame. For 3-D work, my goal is to divide the meaning into collection of subtopics that are presented as “Search Phases.”

In regards to life and death, I see both as one in the same category. From looking at Kate MacDowell’s work, she seems to envision beauty as a theme that revolves around the issue destructive practices that victimizes life and the environment that surrounds us. In her work “Crave,” (2008) the surreal nature that grows from arm decaying arm shows that the beauty humans are accustomed to visioning is hardly attainable, the real beauty is either ignored or not easily understood. Knowing so, I thought I would render my first “Search Phase” as birth. MacDowell’s idea of true beauty can’t always be a certain ideal. Although finding the beauty and understanding how to accept it is the real challenge. My idea of “Crave” is translated onto a phase of birth. Birth, supposedly is the moment when humans would like to know where to go, but uncertain of where, and fearful of accepting the possible failures. MacDowell’s “Buzz” is also another work that suggests certain phases in which we question our value.

The vagueness presented in “Buzz” (2008) is best translated by the swarm of flies. The face of the figure hints frustration as the search for identity. Or rather, maintaining identity as it socially decays. The meaning I found in this work help me move further onto the phase of death. Death is last part of our lifespan, and with the time given before that moment one can never truly find their self. Instead, one must choose to create their self, understanding the fears, finding the good to make some kind of difference. Finding self-value is one way to look at death. Where birth introduces uncertainty, death introduces a search for value, life as a whole is about understanding fear.

In creating an image that would both represent fear and uncertainty to define life, I chose of few of Tom Bartel’s work. His work mainly revolves around a concept of fertility. A much detailed sup-topic compared to my general ideas of life phases. From taking a glimpse at his work, a silly thought had come across my mind. It went something like, “No one is really born a virgin because life screws you already.” I found this saying very relevant and close to both in Bartel’s work and mine. To me, the nature of Bartel’s work highlighted harsher aspects of life. For example, in “Clown Bust,” (2010) the face of figure carries the same blank expression as the rest of his fertility themed work does. What really stood out to me was that the figure is given features that identify it as being a clown. However, the blank expression gives a sad quality to the piece. The way I see this work in relation to my conceptual direction of life is that clown has no try identity. Perhaps an overwhelming misdirection in life, the clown is a representation of thoughts and choices leading to the flaws of finding yourself. Or another way to question identity is to ask, are we supposed to find ourselves or create ourselves?

To move further and find an answer about identity, “Red Headed Step Child” (2010) is another one of Bartel’s work that speaks about making big choices that help us create our identity and discover our value. Although the title doesn’t help me find a meaning, the image of an armless child already suggests a concept of blind survival. Having no arms to reach for help, a child will sooner understand that at times few will be around to guide him. In that though I see the introduction of fearing what could happen, what might happen, or might not happen. In relation to how some define youth, there a phases in which we must prepare for fear and failure. Bartel’s work uses an armless child to suggest that upcoming fear. I instead present the fear of un-wanting outcomes with blindness. Where blindness carries all state of human emotion, creating identity by understanding fear is where I see the ideal purpose of living life to the fullest. Overall, life and death coexists as one word – fear. By knowing that we all reach death, death introduces the search for value in life in which life introduces the fear of failure. Another way I’ve tried to render my influences onto my conceptual direction is pointing out inescapability of death as teaching tool to make big choices in life.

Apart from inspirational direction in concept and direction, I’ve looked further onto the technical aspects of surface applications. I didn’t want to focus on using glazes as finishing medium, instead I wanted to incorporate glaze as a mixed media element to my pieces. As a consideration that glaze application may be impossible to complete a reconstructed piece, I’ve looked into Jack Earl’s work. Jack Earl is a good example when it comes to creating the 2-D illusion out of 3-work with the use of oil paints. The piece, “THE MOONING MILKMAID’S LAMENT OR LEFT AT THE STILE OR GRAND DADDY LONG LEGS, GRAND DADDY LONG LEGS, WHERE ARE THE COWS TODAY OR SOMETHING ELSE, JUST AS DUMB” (2007) is finished with oil points to such a point where the piece itself appears to be both flat and coming to life. Despite the lack of meaning, the detail speaks beauty on surface as being flat. I believe this was accomplished by a wise choice of oil paint application.

In “Sometimes when two things happen at once….” (1989) Earl treats the work as a two dimensional piece, for the most part relying on space. However, the title of the piece reflects on what the composition of the image is trying to say. As vague as the composition explains the title, I believe this piece was somewhat personal. There’s a fine balance of both 2-D and 3-D in the work containing the image of a child. Perhaps the title refers to a memory of moment encapsulated in both a photograph and the experience of taking the photograph. Simply the two things that may have happened at once were living the moment and photographing the moment. What I love best about the work is how vagueness is not ignored; I’ve always seen vagueness as negative in maintaining the viewers in conceptual interest. This piece however hints the vagueness of memory as being incomparable to clarity of living the moment.

Lastly, an artist I’ve stepped away from in relation to creating surreal forms is Sergei Isupov. Isupov adds a layer of surrealism to straightforward figurative work, but apart from the figurative aspect, his surface application carries symbolic references that relate to his choice of forms. In his work “Horsepower” (2009) there are figures of a man and woman, each below an eye. From a distance the face looks almost sympathetic or empathetic. The addition of these surface details helps bring out the character and meaning to the whole piece. The meaning is what I see as a question of equality between genders; which are more pitiful, men or women? The figures underneath the eyes are truly questionable. As for my work, this piece has helped me consider how I want to keep surface quality intentionally questionable and relative to it whole piece.

Works Cited

accessCeramics (2008) - Kate MacDowell
http://accessceramics.org/results/artist/116/

accessCeramics (2010) - Thomas Bartel
http://accessceramics.org/results/artist/265/

Art Space Lima (2007) - Jack Earl
http://www.artspacelima.com/Spring%20Show%202007.htm

Smithsonian American Art Museum (2007) - Jack Earl
http://americanart.si.edu/collections/search/artwork/?id=76592

artnetGalleries (2009) - Sergei Isupov
http://www.artnet.com/Galleries/Artwork_Detail.asp?G=&gid=425350970&which=&ViewArtistBy=online&aid=425934087&wid=426089134&source=artist&sortby=imgorder&rta=http://www.artnet.com