Red Melon
18 x 10 x 10 inches
Artist Statement
I have traveled extensively in Asia Minor (particularly
in Turkey and Greece) doing independent research into contemporary
and classical ceramic art.
This recent body of work is an exploration of classical
forms and their manipulation. Each piece leads to the next. The
fired pieces ask to be made again with alterations and subtle changes
in form, color and decoration. Some pieces are fired four or more
times; reworking pieces through several firings creates depth of
color and surface texture. The subtle changes in color and texture
create rich, painterly surfaces that are neither contrived nor expected.
The forms created by ancient, anonymous artisans/artists,
with their lack of pretense, incredible craftsmanship and technical
virtuosity have been the standard for thousands of years. As a contemporary
ceramic artist I am pushing the boundaries of the past, the past
of which I am humbled and enthralled.
Technical Description
These pieces are thrown with a heavily groged white
earthenware clay. The pieces are sometimes stretched, cut, reassembled
and altered further while wet. Handles and additions are added after
trimming if any. Most pieces require a drying time between one and
two weeks as the handles will crack if dried to quickly.
Decoration sometimes begins in the leather hard state
with the application of slips using ceramic stains or oxides as
colorants. Other pieces are bisque fired and then decorated. Layers
of colored slips are added and manipulated through several firings
to achieve color and texture. All pieces are fired in a gas kiln
in oxidation to Cone 03 or 2000 degrees F.
