Glenda Taylor Pitcher Image Credit- http://www.redlodgeclaycenter.com/resident-info.php?id=20#
Extraordinary, dedicated, understanding, and generous, these are just a few adjectives of an endless list that described Glenda Taylor; but words fall short. Glenda was one of my life teachers and a close friend. I had the privilege of being one of Glenda’s undergraduate students in ceramics at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas where she nurtured my love of clay and cycling. Students were Glenda’s number one priority and she was always willing to stop her day in order to help a student in need. When I would thank Glenda for the gifts she had given me through her mentorship she would simply reply, “Pass it on”. This was Glenda, the silent hero who gave and expected nothing in return. Glenda touched many people’s lives in a positive way as a dedicated teacher, department chair, athlete, and passionate leader in her community. A memorable phrase she once said to me was “Whatever you do with your life, you do it with gusto and passion.” We should all strive to work at Glenda’s high level of dedication and live our lives with the same gusto and passion that Glenda has so beautifully role modeled not only to me, but to all her students.
This piece is constructed from two different clay bodies that were matched based on their similar shrinkage rates. This is fired raw clay with no glaze and acrylic red paint on the cloud. Spray painted silver pebbles were also glued throughout the piece.
Left to Right: Gears, 4x9x9 inches, Ceramic, 2015, The Piston, 9x11x5 inches, Ceramic, 2015, Hammer Head, 14x13x6 inches, Ceramic, 2015, Crushed Steel, 20x15x10 inches, Ceramic, 2015, The Plow, 12x27x17 inches, Ceramic, 2015, Reflection Pool, 40x26x15 inches, Ceramic and Wood Base, 2015
Objects peak out from sedimentary forms that reference evolving and eroding landscapes. Each object was chosen because of its role as a material or tool used for construction and creation. The tray displays what once was a full set of cogs from a bicycle that are now still near one another but separated between strata. The piston appears frozen in the moment before it fell to the ground and the hammer head is suspended in time. Crushed steel droops among the strata and raises question as to what happened. The plow boldly plows onward through a strange and mysterious landscape and the reflection pool stands balanced in quiet contemplation. Left to Right: Specimens and Container, 10x3x9 inches, Ceramic, 2015, Specimen and Handled Container 17x7x3 inches, Ceramic, Felt, and Steel, 2015, Handled Multiple Specimen Container, 10x13x9 inches, Ceramic and Felt, 2015, Single Handled Specimen Container, 10x10x5, Ceramic and Felt, 2015, Individual Tray with Specimen, 4x9x10 inches, Ceramic, 2015. Note- All these pieces were cone six reduction fired. The specimen containers display what appear to be fragments of larger sedimentary masses. The containers invite further discovery. This particular grouping of work focuses on the remnants of computer and electronic circuitry. Each fossil is a necessary part selected from a larger whole item.
Left to Right: Marker I, 45x16x10 inches, Ceramic 2015, Live Wire, 37x19x13 inches, Ceramic 2015, Dependent Parts, 38x20x9 inches, Ceramic, 2015 The singular land masses of sedimentary rock are reminiscent of landscapes and the surface finishes are convincing of rock and metal materials. On closer inspection these formations contain fossils from the past in lower strata and proposed fossils of the future in upper strata.
Left to Right: Specimen #04232015, 3x20x10 inches, Ceramic, Photograph, and Wood 2015, Specimen #04272015, 2x16x8 inches, Ceramic, Photograph, and Wood 2015, and Specimen #04252015, 7x23x14 inches, Ceramic and Photograph 2015 Specimens photographed in their natural environments. These pieces model the idea of a sedimentary rock multiple moments frozen in time being viewed in the present. The viewer is invited to discover the relationship between the photograph and the specimen. There is a documented adventure and discovery present in this work that creates a stage set.
Yang Jiechang's installation piece "Underground Flowers" Photo Credit- https://www.artsy.net/artist/yang-jiechang-yang-jie-cang Yang Jiechang was born in 1956 Guangdong Providence China, studied at the Guangzhou Acadamy of Fine Art ,and currently lives in Heidelberg Germany. Jechang uses his technical painting skill and understanding of traditional Chinese aesthetics and makes these traditions visible on contemporary forms and contexts. His work questions social and political issues and is part decorative and part archeological display. The piece entitled Underground flowers is a consideration of the passage of time and a cruel political regime. Each bone in this exhibit was meticulously cataloged and up for sale, one bone per person, pointing out how people often become pawns during times of political regime. Perhaps the conceptual accuracy of this piece relates to the artist’s experience of leaving China after the cold war at age 33.
Precious VS Discarded, 7x8x7 inches, Porcelain, Reduction Fired, 2015 Making a press mold is a wonderful solution when looking to replicate many small items fast. This piece incorporates a pillow shaped press mold. Throughout history an object was placed on a pillow to emphasize its importance. Objects that were washed ashore after a rain were photographed on top of this pillow. A juxtaposition of precious object versus broken and discarded is created.
Tea Set, 9x13x9 inches, Ceramic, 2015 My goal for this project was to make a teaset that matched my themes of exploration from the semester and looked like a made it, so had a stylistic voice. I was very happy with this piece especially, the glaze choices.
This piece was built from thrown sections that were slipped and scored together. The cloud on top is hand sculpted. The base of this piece was coiled, crackle slip was applied to the middle section, and press molded brachiopods were attached to the exterior of the base section.
Strata from Monolith Series by Eleanor Heimbaugh Photo Credit- Eleanor Heimbaugh There are many special qualities that clay offers as a construction material. One of these qualities is memory. Clay remembers how it was touched and how it was formed. Clay is a process driven material and the process lends itself to memory making. In the mist of teaching learning and creating the clay takes on a form and a purpose. Once finished the ceramic object carries with it not only a memory of its creation but a rich history of its usage as a building material. Clay can also be connected to memory through concept. In my work I use clay to create large sedimentary rock forms that house fossils of the past and proposed fossils of the future, mimicking earth’s strata, which is the earth’s memory in a literal sense.
A scaled model of Beijing’s Central business district complemented by a bed of rice by Jie. Photo Credit- http://www.netsvictoria.org.au/zhou-jie Zhou Jie was born 1986 in Hunan China and studied at the China Central Academy of Fine Arts where she specialized in sculpture. Jie chooses to use ceramic materials because she considers fired clay to be the most representative material of her country (China). She uses porcelain specifically for its fragile qualities and makes a comparison to the fragility of life and civilization. Porcelian is a symbol of China how fragile civilizations are. Jie’s work illustrates the balanced tension between nature and man and she see’s humans and urban sprawl as a plague. The growths on the buildings are her impressions of viruses and bacteria. This piece is a scaled model of Beijing’s Central business district complemented by a bed of rice, yet another symbol of China.
"Fragile" on the left and "Reflection" on the right. Photo Credits- http://caiguoqiang.com/ Cai Guo-Qiang was born 1957 in Quanzhou City China and trained in stage design at the Shanghai theatre academy. While in Japan he researched the potentials of gun powder as a drawing material and this technique is what he is most famous for. Guo-Qiang’s work combines eastern philosophy a variety of cultures with historical references. The piece entitled Reflection is the skeleton of a Japanese fishing boat resting on a beach of porcelain deities from Dehua, China. This work brings into question social identity and illustrates how artistic expressions from two different cultures can merge together. In 2012 Guo-Qiang was a part of a show in the Middle East entitled Saraab meaning Mirage in Arabic. The show depicted the connection between China and the Middle East from the Silk Road. Fragile was the first time Cai used gunpowder for calligraphy.
An installation of Cans by Lei Xue Photo Credit- http://www.galeriewinter.at/kuenstler/lei-xue/imago/ Lei Xue was born in Qingdao China and studied Oil painting in Shandong, China followed by studying free art at the Kunsthochschule in Germany. Xue has had several solo shows in Germany and been in the last two Art Basels. His work creates familiar and strange worlds for the viewer in order to depict the clash of old and new ways of in life. Xue opens a dialogue by combining old traditions and techniques into a contemporary form and format. Disposal of coke can compared to the tea ceremony. Motifs from the Ming Dynasty are hand painted on these porcelain coke cans. Xue finds a connection between the disposal of these cans from our contemporary world and the disposal of tea bowls after a traditional tea ceremony. His work suggests that old traditions shouldn’t be hidden or kept only for the past but incorporated and celebrated in everyday life.
When strolling through the ceramics section of a museum one can’t help but notice all the ceramic vessels that have been tediously restored. The idea of restoration implies that this piece had become flawed or broken through a series of events and is then restored as close as possible to its original state. The repairs are often laboriously disguised. Kintsugi is the Japanese art of fixing broken pottery with lacquer dusted gold and is a technique that is used in China, Vietnam, and Korea. The art of Kintsugi has similarities to Wabi-Sabi philosophies because the cracks, breaks and repairs are illuminated as moments in life and embraced, not hidden. These repairs are seen as enhancements and make the piece even more desirable for service. The different types of joinery associated with Kintsugi include- Gold Dust and Resin (the piece is glued back together with resin coated in gold dust), Pure Method ( the piece is glued back together with resin coated in gold dust and missing parts are replaced with gold parts) and Gold Plus (the piece is glued back together with resin coated in gold dust and missing parts are replaced with parts from an entirely different ceramic object). At one point the Art of Kintsugi became so popular that important ceramic vessels were broken in order to be a part of the Kintsugi process. Stoneware with celadon glaze and Japanese lacquer repairs Longquan, Zhejiang province, China Photo Courtesy: Linda Ganstrom Art History Lectures
This ceramic specimen was photographed in a stream, possibly where a fossil of this nature would be found in the future. On closer inspection the fossilized circuitry from a computer tower is revealed on top of the specimen, perhaps from water erosion. Photographs of Ceramic Specimen #362015
Stoneware and Pillow, these are two words that I never imaged being used together when describing a utilitarian object. Even though it may sound uncomfortable to sleep on such a hard surface stoneware pillows were actually quite practical for the time. During the Sung Dynasty most Chinese stopped cutting their hair after their teens, which provided some padding on the stoneware pillows while sleeping. In addition to helping maintain hairdos, sleeping on a hard surface cut down on parasite infestations such as lice and distanced the sleeper from other bugs and vermin. The pillows were often decorated with motifs, if not three dimensional scenes that depicted the sleeper’s social life pursuits of the time. Tz'u-chou Stoneware Pillow from the Sung dynasty (960-1279) Photo Courtesy: Linda Ganstrom Art History Lectures
Left to Right: Geological Wirlpool, 17.5x19x20 inches, Ceramic, Wood, Paper, India Ink, Stains, Reduction Fired, 3/3/15 Monolith-Past Present and Future, 40x18x21 inches, Ceramic with Cryolite Glaze, Reduction Fired, 3/3/15 Sedimentary Echo, 22.5x15x20 inches, Ceramic, Wood, Paper, India Ink, Stains, Reduction Fired, 3/3/15
This series of ceramic strata reference sedimentary rocks from the future. Like each rock in this series the surface details, such as those in Geological Whirlpool, reward viewers who allow themselves to be sucked in. Fossils from the Mississippian settle to the bottle of each form while mechanical gears or antique glass bottles float above in the next layer of sediment. The final stratum of each piece is encompassed by the remnants of computer mother boards and other electronic parts. There is a rhythm present that echoes horizontally outward towards the viewer. Almost as if these monoliths are lighthouses, enlightening the viewer on what has come and cautioning the viewer as to what may come. This series was technically challenging for a variety of reasons. Construction involved designing a visually pleasing exterior that also allowed for an arch reinforced interior. Transportation was a challenge because of the weight and scale of these pieces; more than one than one person was required for movement. The glazing and firing process required attentive research of glaze materials such as cryolite and perseverance through personalized Blauuw kiln firing programs. The End of Bliss in Ignorance, 10x25x6 inches, Ceramic, Wood, Paper, Acrylic Paint, Reduction Fired, 3/3/15 Solid forming techniques from Beth Cavener’s workshop were used to construct The End of Bliss in Ignorance. A piece that depicts a curious creature finally learning what was hidden inside a box, it will forever be a part of him, and in this moment a change occurs, a transformation from his former self. Something was lost and something was gained, yet he will still be sustained. Ding or Ting ware pouring vessel from the Song Dynasty (960 – 1279) Photo Courtesy: Linda Ganstrom Art History Lectures When flipping through images of contemporary art every now and then, I’m always confronted by a piece that just seems so contemporary, as if it was made yesterday. This Ding or Ting ware pouring vessel is from the Song Dynasty (960 – 1279). Characteristics of Song dynasty ware include refined delicate work and technical precision. I felt a connection to this piece through subject matter. My work often provides a memory pallet for the viewer of my surroundings in hopes of making them more aware of their own. I appreciate the subtleties in life that make all the difference. This piece looks like each component was taken from a separate place and then assembled into a harmonious and functional composition. Perhaps the maker was combining moments from his own daily life. This is a timeless piece because it looks freshly made and promises a deeper meaning on closer examination.
Dogs have always played an important role in my life, not only as companions but also as protectors. The Pekinese, a breed specifically bred for its lion like qualities, played a similar role for the Chinese during the Han Dynasty about 2000 years ago. Also known as the guard dog or Han Dog, sculptures of the Pekinese were kept near entry ways to homes during life and near entrances to tombs after death. These sculptures are one of the most common items found in the tombs most likely because of the belief that they could protect from evil. The Pekinese was appealing to royalty of the Han Dynasty because of its lion like qualities, symbolic of power and protections. The dogs had an aggressive nature, were bread for protection, and were only allowed to be owned by royal family members. Some Pekinese were bred to be small so that they could be kept up their owners sleeve and released for protection. In the Tang Dynasty Emperor Ming treated his dogs like royalty and even made one of his Pekinese a wife. During the Yuan Dynasty Kublia Khan made taking care of these dogs an art form. Throughout Chinese dynasties ceramic figurines of the Pekinese have often been found buried near their owners. The Pekinese breed is still around to this day. Stoneware Tomb Guardian- Photo Courtesy: http://asianhistory.about.com/od/china/p/History-of-the-Pekingese-Dog.htm
Open faced mold of a wire artifact ready for resin bonding sand. Once sand is pressed in the mold and dried aluminum will be poured into the sand mold.
Growing up, one of my favorite activities was to play and create with Legos. With these bricks I would build entire towns, creating new worlds and narratives. Having had this childhood experience I was fascinated with the ceramic models of buildings and towns found in Han Dynasty burials. The deceased was buried with a whole world of clay objects. Ceramic replicas of their home, town, tools, and everything they may need in the afterlife were buried with them. Tombs of the Han dynasty were also often built in the layout of the decease’s home that was one of the ceramic structures buried in the tomb. The wealthier the deceased was the more burial ceramics they were given. The detailed ceramic renditions of entire towns, complete with figurines has provided archeologists with a broader understanding of iens that were variety of burial ceramics that incorporated architecture ceramic structures bur of Han Dynasty architecture, technology, and life in general. Han Dynasty Ceramic Replica of a Structure- Photo Courtesy: Linda Ganstrom Art History Lectures
The quantity of small cylinders in Chun Liao’s installation at Marsden is impressive. The grouping of ceramic objects elevates what could be perceived as insignificant cylinders to a whole new level. Together the viewer is presented with a landcape, cityscape, or even a gathering of people. Some of the groupings even look like little family units. On closer inspection the viewer is rewarded with little glaze details, melted staples and coins on the surface of the vessels. With this installation Liao has successfully taken small units of space to create a greater and larger whole.
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