This is a continuation of the recap regarding my recent trip to Houston for the NCECA conference. I am like a hound on a scent with taking photos of finished work that I like. Enjoy the following photos with explanations.
Elephant by Lindsay Pichaske.
This clay sculpture of an elephant stood at roughly the height of a large breed dog, and has sunflower seeds carefully encrusted as a sort of strange skin. Lindsay Pichaske was one of the Emerging Artists for the conference.
A close-up of the elephant’s face.
The sculptor’s use of taxidermy eyes and expressive facial features somehow both adds to a sense of beautiful morbidity: lifelike deadness.
The other sculpture on display by Lindsay Pichaske.
This beast has a more human-like face and a strangely proportioned mythological overall appearance. Being coated in ombre silk petals will do that, I suppose.
Another facial close-up.
Onto the functional pottery…
Diana Fayt dinner plate.
This is the first of many images from a show I always truly enjoy and have made of habit of photographing at length, La Mesa hosted by Santa Fe Clay. Featuring all manner of tableware, the show always attracts scores of viewers and thus always stays close to the conference center for accessibility’s sake. Diana Fayt, shown above, makes beautiful drawings on her dishes accompanied by animal silhouettes and has a lovely sense of color.
More of her work.
Each artist presented either one or several pieces, in this case Diana Fayt executed a themed place setting.
Stacked plates by Susan Dewsnap.
The beautiful pattern style on Susan Dewsnap’s pieces probably utilize wax to resist the pattern from the glaze and likely received atmospheric firing due to the color variation. I suspect soda firing since much of her work elsewhere reflects that description detail.
The entire place setting.
I love a soda fired porcelain pot with a fumed copper glaze: a woman after my own heart!
Margaret Bohls flower brick.
Despite the name this stamped porcelain pot by Margaret Bohls really is light in weight. A vase to me typically has only one orifice for flora whereas a flower brick offers multiple outlets.
Another place setting, by Sarah Jaeger.
Some more porcelain pots, this time beautiful forms featuring a focus on glaze interface. Sarah Jaeger works meticulously on how she patterns and blends her glazes together.
Place setting by Suze Lindsay.
I have loved the line quality and quiet sophistication in Suze Lindsay‘s pots since my college days. Again, well-executed atmospheric firing brings about part of my admiration.
Multiple slipcast options by Hiroe Hanazono.
Resplendent in pastels a bevy of streamlined self-serving objects pepper this display by Hiroe Hanazono.
Silver luster on a jar by Jeremy Kane.
I am not that familiar with Jeremy Kane but I liked this jar for it’s craftsmanship and humor.
Pticher and teapot by 2 very different potters.
On the left another of my favorite atmospheric potters Charity Davis Woodard has elected to present one of her distinctive pitchers alongside a highly precise and meticulous teapot by an equally talented but totally different artist named Shawn Spangler.
Detail of the Charity Woodard pitcher.
I’m crazy about this form plus the handle feels amazing in my hand.
Oh, the lovely kitsch of Sue Tirrell!
A personal connection to farming and Western culture emerges in these absolutely killer drawings/pots by Sue Tirrell.
Detail of the dinner plate.
Would you be surprised if I told you Anthropologie is currently selling a few of Sue’s designs? I thought not. Also, google Objective Clay before midnight this Thursday to get the skinny on a happening group of potters, some of whom have work featured in this blog post. Stay tuned for the next segment of my conference recap!
Alazan Ceramics 