Co-curated by Dr. Sandra Alfoldy, Shannon Parker, and Dr. Julie Hollenbach
Energy. Enthusiasm. Knowledge. Honesty. Inspired. Ardor for material. These are the terms that describe Walter Ostrom and his relationship with clay. They can also be summed up in one word: Passion.
Passion is a simple word and yet the immense complexity of it as a concept is at the core of Ostrom and from it flows the worldwide mosaic of his relationships, his incredible devotion as an educator, his drive for knowledge, and his love for creativity in all aspects of his life, but particularly for pottery.
Walter Ostrom is one of Canada’s foremost ceramic artists. He revolutionized clay from ethical brown earthenware to colourful, bright maiolica and inspired generations of ceramists who follow him to this day. This exhibition investigates Ostrom’s earliest work in stoneware and porcelain, his conceptual projects at NSCAD University, the many ways his love of gardening—and particularly rhododendrons—influenced his work, the huge impact China and its ceramic traditions and ceramists had on his life and practice, and his lifetime commitment to the exploration and reinvigoration of the ancient ceramic tradition of tin-glaze.
Good Earth examines Ostrom’s practice of altering form, surface treatments, and the rich elements of social commentary, geographic references, art history, and political statements he imbues in his work. An inspired instructor for over 40 years, Ostrom’s influence on a selection of his many celebrated students is also reflected in this exhibition.
Ostrom is celebrated internationally with galleries dedicated to the collection and presentation of his work in Canada, the United States, Europe and China. This bilingual touring exhibition is the first major retrospective to chronicle Ostrom’s career and impact on the field of global ceramics.
Join Jennifer Zwilling as she leads a talk with artist Lisa Naples. The Clay Studio serves artists in the community and its community with art. We were founded in 1974 by a group of 5 ceramic artists seeking a shared space and mutual support, but they soon realized their work embraced something broader: to educate and engage the larger community with the joy of making in clay. Today The Clay Studio supports 65 Resident and Associate artists and welcomes 4,700 students in their classrooms every year, while also serving 3,800 schoolchildren and adults in the Philadelphia area. We offer classes and workshops year round in handbuilding, wheel-throwing, casting and glazing, for people of all ages, from beginner to advanced. These online how-to demos are tutorials created by ceramic artists that anyone can do at home. They celebrate the idea that homemade is handmade, and they connect artists with people right where they live. Enjoy! If you would like to make a donation to support The Clay Studio and its community of artists, teachers, and students, please visit https://public.theclaystudio.org/publ… #clayathome
For Clay Week 2020 Make and Do collective member Marianne Chénard interviewed Marina Lespérance Lopez.
Je suis née Montréal et j’ai grandi dans la région de Lanaudière, au Québec, pour finalement revenir dans la région métropolitaine vers la fin de mes études secondaire. Fille de parents latino-américain et québécois, la mixité culturelle et les voyages ont construit mon identité. J’ai poursuivi mes études en Arts Visuels et Médiatiques à l’Université du Québec à Montréal et par la suite une spécialisation en métiers d’arts céramiques au cégep du Vieux-Montréal.
J’ai été formée en arts visuels et médiatiques, où je faisais principalement de la sculpture et de l’installation en céramique mais aussi avec d’autres matériaux. Mon passage de la création d’objets d’arts vers les objets utilitaires vient d’une quête de sens, je voulais que mes oeuvre soient accessibles pour la vie quotidienne. J’ai aussi intérêt profond pour le parcours des objets et leur grand potentiel de charge émotive. D’où ils viennent, qui les a fait, dans quelles conditions… Je souhaite reconnecter avec la valeur des objets dans notre réalité d’économie du fast moving consumer, qu’on achète moins souvent, mais avec intention. Je souhaite voir mes oeuvres intégrer la routine des gens au jour le jour, qu’ils inspirent, et qu’ils apportent une petite touche de magie au quotidien.
1919年創業の瀬戸の窯元、眞窯にうまれ、染付け窯屋をコンセプトに多くの作品を生み出してきました。 絵付けでは染付特有の”濃(ダミ)”という技法を駆使します。 太く大きな筆から呉須をスポイトのように流し出し、陶器の表面に絵を施していきます。 墨絵のように藍一色だけで様々な濃淡の青を表現できる多様さは他の器にはない美しさ。 時間をかけて習得されたクラフトマンの技術だけが、藍色の美しさをより際立たせます。 I was born at Shingama pottery in Seto, founded in1919. I have created many products up to the present with “sometsuke pottery” as my concept. For sometsuke painting(indigo dyeing), I utilize a technique called “dami”which is a characteristic of dyeing. Gosu is poured out from a large, thick brush like from a syringe and is painted on the surface of the porcelain. As in ink painting, the variety that can be expressed with the various shades of blue using the single color of indigo is beauty not found in other pottery. Only the skill of craftsmen learned over many years can make the beauty of indigo really stand out.
