Craft

Subterms

    More stories

    • 113 Shares169 Views

      in Art

      Wycliffe Stutchbury Configures Miniature Wood Shingles into Mesmerizing Arrangements

      by

      “The Craig,” 17th-century barn blockwork repair clad in English oak sourced, harvested, seasoned, and machined from fallen branches in adjacent woods, 13 x 4.3 meters, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire

      Wycliffe Stutchbury Configures Miniature Wood Shingles into Mesmerizing Arrangements

      February 5, 2025

      ArtCraft

      Kate Mothes

      Share

      Pin

      Email

      Bookmark

      “Always in my mind is the desire to describe the landscape of the human body and the country,” says artist Wycliffe Stutchbury, whose elegant compositions are intimately tied to nature and a sense of place. He creates handmade wood shingles made from a range of sources like bog oak, holly, and ash, arranging the pieces into elemental compositions.

      “I work with wood because it is full of surprises, and it is a miraculous material,” Stutchbury tells Colossal. “Its character, texture, fragility, robustness, and the way in which it records the passing of time… I really just see myself as an editor of nature.”

      “Hundred Foot Drain 15,” excavated bog oak, 180 x 80 centimeters, Chatteris, Cambridgeshire

      The artist is fascinated by the human relationship with landscape, or what he describes as “the struggle between our desire to impose form on the natural world and its unwillingness to conform.” No matter how we try to manipulate, use, or suppress the natural environment, it always shapes our efforts.

      Stutchbury was formally trained as a furniture maker, and when he graduated from university, he focused on making what he calls “miniature realities,” or very precise models of everyday things, which he exhibited in large, white spaces. After university, he moved into a studio with some fellow graduates. The artist realized he needed to put the nose to the grindstone and began to gravitate back to woodworking.

      “One day, I was walking home and the neighbour’s house was being re-roofed,” the artist says. “The builders had left the old roofing battens in the front garden, and I asked if I could take them away. The rain and sun and time had produced these wonderful colours on the timber.”

      With his mind still in “miniature mode,” Stutchbury imagined a small tiled roof, and a textural wall panel clad with little shingles emerged. The rest is history, as they say. Over time, he experimented with different types of foraged wood, making larger panels, multi-piece installations, tapestry-like wall hangings and, most recently, architectural interventions.

      Detail of “The Craig”

      His project “The Craig,” a title derived from the Gaelic word for rock, reinterprets the exterior cladding of a 17th-century stone barn in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire. Following the contours of the original stonework and the covered aisle through the center, Stutchbury applied hundreds of shingles in a delicately undulating pattern.

      The artist harvested material for “The Craig” exclusively from fallen branches in the adjacent woods. “The title for each work is provided by the location that the timber is found,” he says. “I seek out fallen and forgotten wood, and how it has responded to its surroundings and environment provides me with the platform to work from.”

      Stutchbury follows where the work takes him. “Although I strive to apply my own structure to these works through concentration and technical skill, I fail,” he says, adding:

      I make mistakes, my concentration wanders, I change my mind, (and) I can’t maintain a straight line or a perfect sphere. I find I am being pulled toward an intuitive way of working, like stacking firewood. So, I allow the timber I have before me to lead the way, and through a process of editing, I try and reveal the qualities and narrative held within it.

      The artist has been busy with commissions, including a trip in May to Maine—a region rich with Shingle Style architecture—where he will clad one elevation of a house on the coast. Explore more on the artist’s website.

      “Holme Fen 3,” handsawn excavated bog oak tiles hung on cotton twill, 330 x 228 centimeters

      “The Rodd,” discarded barn cladding, 127 x 79 centimeters, Prestigne, Powys

      “The Hill 10,” felled common holly, 180 x 90 centimeters, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire

      Detail of “The Craig”

      “Hundred Foot Drain 9,” excavated bog oak, 100 x 150 centimeters, Chatteris, Cambridgeshire

      “Oakhill Park,” felled ash tree, 93 x 88 centimeters, Oakhill House, Hildenborough, Kent

      “Fenland Drape,” excavated bog oak and autumn leaves on 230gsm artists linen, 270 x 270 centimeters, Chatteris, Cambridgeshire / Lucas Gardens London SE5

      “Hundred Foot Drain 9” in progress

      Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.

      Hide advertising

      Save your favorite articles

      Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop

      Receive members-only newsletter

      Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms

      Join us today!

      $7/month

      $75/year

      Explore membership options

      Previous articleNext article More

    • 188 Shares179 Views

      in Art

      Naomi Peterson Channels a Sweet Tooth and Sense of Togetherness in Her Vibrant ‘Cup-Cakes’

      by

      “Mud Pies.” All images courtesy of Naomi Peterson, shared with permission

      Naomi Peterson Channels a Sweet Tooth and Sense of Togetherness in Her Vibrant ‘Cup-Cakes’

      February 4, 2025

      ArtCraftFood

      Kate Mothes

      Share

      Pin

      Email

      Bookmark

      Frosted sponge and overstuffed pies are just a few of the sweet treats Naomi Peterson crafts from clay. Her playful “cup-cakes” take confectionery as a starting point, adding layers reminiscent of fondant, ice cream scoops, berries, and sprinkles.

      Many of Peterson’s pieces are functional, incorporating lids or handles to be used as vessels or coffee mugs. “I’m drawn to visual sweetness, imagining the potential enjoyment of confectioneries rather than physically consuming them,” she tells Colossal. “I actually prefer savory and salty foods to sweet ones!”

      “Topiary Jar 2”

      Flowers complement playful lattice patterns in vibrant hues, sometimes leaning into a garden theme with topiary forms. Peterson relies on an intuitive approach that combines wheel-thrown techniques with hand-building methods like coils, slabs, and pinching. “I construct different forms and plan surfaces later,” she says. “I find if I pre-plan the surface and shape from the beginning, the process becomes too controlled, limiting spontaneity.”

      Once the basic form is complete, Peterson adds or removes elements through darting—cutting wedge-shaped pieces from a cylinder of clay—and embellishing with sprig or press molds. “My surfaces require many applications and separate firings to achieve vibrant, layered effects,” she says. “Before ceramics, I spent many years painting mainly with oils, influencing much of my surface decisions.”

      We often think of confectionery as a token of joy, celebration, and togetherness. Every cake and bon bon reflects Peterson’s interest in relationships and the way our actions and emotions entwine us with others and our communities. The spaces in between the dot patterns are essential, “not to keep each element distant but to connect them,” she says. “Although not physically connected, each of us is important as part of a whole.”

      Peterson’s work will be part of Dirt Folk: Planted, a pop-up exhibition running concurrently with the 2025 National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts conference in March in Salt Lake City. If you’re on the East Coast, you’ll be able to see her work in Lines and Patterns from March 22 to May 24 at Baltimore Clayworks. Find more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

      Assorted “Cakes”

      “Flower Pot”

      Assorted “Bon Bons”

      “Bloom Cake 2”

      Assorted “Bon Bons”

      “Pluff Jar”

      Confectionery-inspired mugs

      “Harmonia”

      Assorted “Cakes”

      Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.

      Hide advertising

      Save your favorite articles

      Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop

      Receive members-only newsletter

      Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms

      Join us today!

      $7/month

      $75/year

      Explore membership options

      Previous articleNext article More

    • 138 Shares189 Views

      in Art

      Deniz Kurdak Crafts Fragility and Resilience in Embroidered Depictions of Porcelain

      by

      “Pieces on Green,” 25 x 35 centimeters. All images courtesy of Deniz Kurdak, shared with permission

      Deniz Kurdak Crafts Fragility and Resilience in Embroidered Depictions of Porcelain

      January 27, 2025

      ArtCraft

      Kate Mothes

      Share

      Pin

      Email

      Bookmark

      “What draws me to the motif of ceramics is the deep sense of belonging they evoke in me,” says Deniz Kurdak. The London-based artist is fascinated by blue-and-white porcelain—a style that originated in China as early as the 7th century and was broadly imitated and collected around the globe—and the way certain pieces inspire familiarity. She adds, “They have even found their way into my grandmother’s home.”

      Themes of identity, belonging, and memory play central roles in Kurdak’s work, as she draws on personal histories and bases her compositions on real objects that remind her of pieces her grandmother owned.

      “Fragments,” 30 x 40 centimeters

      “Growing up with an abusive father, I found sanctuary in my grandparents’ home—a safe, predictable, and nurturing space where I felt accepted,” the artist tells Colossal. “Along with my admiration for blue-and-white porcelain, my passion for textiles and embroidery was passed down to me by my grandmother.”

      Bringing conceptual elements to needlework, a craft traditionally dismissed in art circles as “women’s work,” she emphasizes expression and narrative. “I like to reimagine the acts of cutting, stitching, and embroidering as forms of emotional repair,” she says, “allowing me to reconstruct and navigate the complexities of my personal history.”

      Long associated with its calming and meditative nature, “embroidery has become both a medium and a means of reflection in my artistic process,” Kurdak says. Seemingly at odds with making intimate and methodical stitches, her images suggest the violence of breakage, suddenness, and the relationship between ornament and utility.

      Kurdak is intrigued by dualities—fragility and resilience, belonging and displacement—which mirror the tensions and contradictions of the human condition. Contrasting brittle yet durable porcelain with pliable yet resistant fabric and thread, she highlights polarities in the act of merging the ideas together.

      “Not Even Close,” 48 x 48 centimeters

      Blue-and-white porcelain predominantly inspires Kurdak’s compositions, but she also renders red, green, or multi-colored pieces in textiles, too. She uses a wide range of needlework and fabric techniques, including appliqué, lacework, and embroidery. Vases appear to melt into streams, lacy decorations hover above the surface, and motifs rearrange into puzzle-like grids or dynamic swirls.

      If you’re in London, “Willow” is currently on view at the Young Masters Art Prize Finalists Exhibition through April 8. Kurdak’s work will be included in Collect Art Fair opening in late February at Somerset House, followed by Affordable Art Fair in March in New York. Learn more on her website, and followed updates on Instagram.

      “Willow,” 60 x 60 centimeters

      “Jar Descending,” 120 x 90 centimeters

      “Anguish in Blue,” 27 x 47 centimeters

      Detail “Anguish in Blue”

      “Disjointed,” 49 x 49 centimeters

      “Dissolving Willow,” 55 x 55 centimeters

      “Mother Jar,” 80 x 80 centimeters

      Detail of “Pieces on Green”

      “This Beyond,” 49 x 49 centimeters

      Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.

      Hide advertising

      Save your favorite articles

      Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop

      Receive members-only newsletter

      Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms

      Join us today!

      $7/month

      $75/year

      Explore membership options

      Next article More

    • 175 Shares169 Views

      in Art

      At Ceramic Brussels, an Eclectic Array of Works Offers a State of the Medium

      by

      Eirik Falckner, Kiosken. All images courtesy of Ceramic Brussels, shared with permission

      At Ceramic Brussels, an Eclectic Array of Works Offers a State of the Medium

      January 16, 2025

      ArtCraft

      Grace Ebert

      Share

      Pin

      Email

      Bookmark

      From Nobuhito Nishigawara’s gilded drips to Andrés Anza’s spiny forms that could seemingly scuttle away at any moment, an eclectic array of works go on view this month for Ceramic Brussels.

      In its second year, the annual gathering is the only international art fair devoted entirely to the medium. The 2025 edition will feature works by more than 200 artists around the globe, with a particular focus on contemporary Norwegian makers.

      Andres Anza, Galleria Anna Marra

      Spanning myriad aesthetics and processes, the fair presents a wide variety of approaches to and a sort of state of the medium. Some artists, like Eirik Falckner, push the boundaries of ceramic art even further by collaborating with bees to layer thick chunks of honeycomb atop a raw armature.

      Find some works slated to be exhibited at the fair, which runs from January 23 to 26, below.

      Nobuhito Nishigawara, Almine Rech

      Marianne Huotari, Holster Burrows

      Daphne de Gheldere, Spax Projects

      Andres Anza, Galleria Anna Marra

      Nellie Jonsson, QB Gallery

      Nellie Jonsson, QB Gallery

      Samuel Yal, Galerie Ariane C-Y

      Laszlo Borsody, ACB Gallery

      Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.

      Hide advertising

      Save your favorite articles

      Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop

      Receive members-only newsletter

      Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms

      Join us today!

      $7/month

      $75/year

      Explore membership options

      Previous articleNext article More

    • 138 Shares159 Views

      in Art

      Paper or Porcelain? Saori Matsushita Folds Delicate Ceramic into Playful Objects

      by

      All images courtesy of Saori Matsushita, shared with permission

      Paper or Porcelain? Saori Matsushita Folds Delicate Ceramic into Playful Objects

      January 14, 2025

      ArtCraft

      Grace Ebert

      Share

      Pin

      Email

      Bookmark

      It might be tempting to throw one of Saori Matsushita’s paper airplanes across the room, but we promise you the landing would be less than graceful.

      From her Seattle studio, Matsushita transforms delicate sheets of porcelain into vases, mugs, and sculptures that appear as if they were folded from paper. Punctured with binder holes and the fringed edge of a torn-out sheet, the functional objects bear the iconic blue lines of a school notebook. Other works are similarly deceptive, like the cloth sack or collared-shirt vessels that capture the folds, bends, and bulges of fabric in ceramic.

      To create these pieces, Matsushita utilizes nerikomi, a Japanese pottery technique that involves layering colored bodies of clay together and then cutting them to reveal a patterned section. Stripes of blue and pink appear through stacking slabs rather than the glazing process, and the artist builds most works by hand (head to her YouTube to see more).

      When Matsushita began incorporating this labor-intensive method into her practice in 2023, it helped develop what’s now become her signature style. She shares:

      Previously, I focused on Neriage, a technique where colored clays are combined and wheel-thrown. However, I transitioned to Nerikomi and began treating porcelain sheets like origami or leather to create more unique, personal expressions of my vision. I feel this shift has allowed me to establish a style that truly reflects my individuality as an artist.

      One of Matsushita’s pieces will be featured in Saltstone Ceramics’ annual Mug Madness tournament this March. Follow the latest in her practice, along with announcements about new works available in her shop, on Instagram.

      Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.

      Hide advertising

      Save your favorite articles

      Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop

      Receive members-only newsletter

      Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms

      Join us today!

      $7/month

      $75/year

      Explore membership options

      Next article More

    • 125 Shares159 Views

      in Art

      Nosheen Iqbal Translates Pakistani Craft Traditions into Vivid Sculptural Embroideries

      by

      All images courtesy of Nosheen Iqbal, shared with permission

      Nosheen Iqbal Translates Pakistani Craft Traditions into Vivid Sculptural Embroideries

      January 13, 2025

      ArtCraft

      Grace Ebert

      Share

      Pin

      Email

      Bookmark

      Equipped with vibrant cotton thread and wooden panels, Nosheen Iqbal stitches sculptural embroideries that draw on her Pakistani and Islamic heritage. Architectural arabesques and Punjabi craft traditions influence her mixed-media motifs, including phulkari, or floral folk embroideries, and woodblock printed reliefs known as bagh.

      Iqbal utilizes half-circles and semi-precious beads to add depth and visual intrigue to the works. Creating shadows and catching the light, these meticulously planned details allow a shift in perspective depending on the viewer’s position. The sweeping lines of color create “saturated pathways that reveal their intensity and depth,” she adds, “allowing my work to offer a shifting experience of light, color, and connection.”

      By emphasizing dimension and the interactions between materials, Iqbal hopes to push the medium in new directions while honoring broader making traditions. She says:

      Craftsmanship holds a profound significance in Pakistani culture, where artistry is revered as a lifelong discipline that shapes identity and community. This respect for meticulous craftsmanship is integral to my own practice. By selecting thoughtful materials—wood, semi-precious beads, and thread—I aim to honor this tradition. Each piece is a reflection of this cultural value, merging refined textures with precision to invite a tactile, immersive experience for the viewer.

      Born in London, Iqbal lives and works in Dallas and recently left a long career in design and art direction to become an artist full-time. You can find available pieces on her website and follow her work on Instagram.

      Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.

      Hide advertising

      Save your favorite articles

      Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop

      Receive members-only newsletter

      Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms

      Join us today!

      $7/month

      $75/year

      Explore membership options

      Next article More

    • 113 Shares189 Views

      in Art

      Lifelike Canines Lounge in Emily O’Leary Uncanny Hooked Rugs

      by

      “Fluffy-Tailed Ticked Dog” (2022), hand-hooked mostly-wool yarn on linen. All images courtesy of Emily O’Leary, shared with permission

      Lifelike Canines Lounge in Emily O’Leary Uncanny Hooked Rugs

      January 13, 2025

      ArtCraft

      Kate Mothes

      Share

      Pin

      Email

      Bookmark

      Most dogs spend at least half of their day asleep—some getting z’s for upwards of 18 hours. Whether curled up on the floor or enjoying a long-legged stretch, the subjects of Emily O’Leary’s rugs evoke our beloved pets.

      Based on photographs of actual dogs, she focuses mostly on animals the artist doesn’t know. “I like to hook dogs that are pretty ‘mutty’ looking, that don’t look like yard-bound Golden Retrievers or Doodles,” she tells Colossal. “I’m attracted to the shared history of humans and dogs—how the bulk of their domestication may have happened somewhat inadvertently.”

      “Injured Elbow Dog” (2020), hand-hooked wool yarn on linen

      Employing a carpet-making technique called rug hooking, the earliest form of which can be traced to Northern England in the early 19th century, O’Leary spends several months on a single piece. Compared to tufting, “It’s a slower, more traditional process,” she says, but the process allows each individual loop to be applied at a different height, giving her the ability to create three-dimensional reliefs.

      O’Leary learned to make rugs after predominantly focusing on embroidery. When some friends organized an exhibition themed around dogs, she had the idea to make a work in the shape of a life-size canine. “I’m lucky that the rugs sort of do inspire tender feelings in the people who see them, but that they’re also a bit uncanny,” she says.

      The pieces’ weight and realistic details engender an intimate connection as they come to life, so to speak. “I really feel like I’ve built a relationship with the object,” she says, adding: “Sometimes the dogs I hook have wounds or scars. The dog rug I’m working on right now is missing a little chunk of her ear.  I want to depict them as they are, not stuffed animal versions.”

      Find more on O’Leary’s website and Instagram.

      “Brown and Black Dog” (2021), hand-hooked wool yarn on linen

      Detail of “Mottled-leg Dog” (2024), hand-hooked wool yarn on linen

      “Sandy Reddish Dog” (2023), hand-hooked mostly-wool yarn on linen

      Photo by Bucky Miller

      Photo by Bucky Miller

      Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.

      Hide advertising

      Save your favorite articles

      Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop

      Receive members-only newsletter

      Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms

      Join us today!

      $7/month

      $75/year

      Explore membership options

      Previous articleNext article More

    • 125 Shares169 Views

      in Art

      Nicole McLaughlin’s Mixed-Media Sculptures Celebrate Craft, Heritage, and New Life

      by

      “Fuentes de Vida; Gemela” (2023)

      Nicole McLaughlin’s Mixed-Media Sculptures Celebrate Craft, Heritage, and New Life

      January 8, 2025

      ArtCraft

      Kate Mothes

      Share

      Pin

      Email

      Bookmark

      From ceramics and wool fiber, Nicole McLaughlin (previously) summons striking connections between materials, heritage, and personal experiences. She draws upon the rich traditions of historically domestic crafts to reconsider their roles today, merging ceramics and textiles into elegant, cascading wall sculptures.

      Drawing on artisanal trades like pottery and weaving, McLaughlin deconstructs preconceptions about form and function, emphasizing mediums, techniques, and themes through the unexpected pairing of stoneware and fiber. Her works encourage us to think critically about relationships between tenderness and strength or past and present.

      “Cordón de Vida” (2024), ceramic, tencel, indigo, wool, and cochineal, 27 x 60 x 4 inches. Courtesy of Anderson Yezerski Gallery

      Many of the pieces shown here are from McLaughlin’s ongoing Indigo Series, which explores the history of the Mayan pigment and its taps into the continuity of life cycles, history, and culture. Streams of wool fiber flow from central openings in glazed ceramic spheres, referencing the life-giving flow of water as a parallel to fertility and maternal care.

      McLaughlin gave birth to a daughter in early 2024, which dramatically shifted how she viewed her studio practice. The work in her most recent exhibition, String of Life at Anderson Yezerski Gallery, merges personal experiences and her Mexican cultural heritage, delving into themes of life and the transformative journey of motherhood.

      “The transformation of organic material echoes the transformative nature of motherhood,” McLaughlin said in a statement for the show. “The range of colors captures an intense emotional spectrum—from the vitality of birth to the softer, more intimate moments.”

      For McLaughlin, cochineal carries an equivalent significance. The brilliant magenta hue emerges from carmine dye, also known as cochineal, which comes from crushing an insect of the same name. The color plays a vital role in Indigenous material culture and heritage of the Americas.

      Detail of “Cordón de Vida”

      For the Aztecs and Mayans, red was symbolic of the gods, the sun, and blood, and the dye was traded throughout Central and South America for use in rituals, producing pigments for manuscripts and murals, and for dyeing cloth and feathers.

      “During the Mayan empire, indigo was combined with clay and incense to create a pigment known as Maya blue,” she says. “The pigment was said to hold the healing power of water in the agricultural community.”

      McLaughlin’s work is in the group exhibition OBJECTS: USA 2024 at R & Company in New York, which continues through tomorrow. The artist is currently taking a short break from the studio in anticipation of working toward a solo exhibition at Adamah Ceramics in Columbus, Ohio, which will open this fall. See more on her website, and follow updates on Instagram.

      “Agua; Sangre de Vida.” Photo by Logan Jackson, courtesy of R & Company

      “La Pequeña” (2024), ceramic, wool, and cochineal, 10.5 x 21 x 1.5 inches. Courtesy of Anderson Yezerski Gallery

      “La Marea que me Envuelve II” (2023). All images courtesy of Nicole McLaughlin, shared with permission

      Detail of “Fuentes de Vida; Gemela”

      Detail of “De Mi Vientre” (2024), ceramic, tencel, wool, and cochineal, 17.5 x 73 x 5.5 inches. Courtesy of Anderson Yezerski Gallery

      Untitled (2024), 10 x 10 feet

      Detail of “La Pequeña”

      Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.

      Hide advertising

      Save your favorite articles

      Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop

      Receive members-only newsletter

      Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms

      Join us today!

      $7/month

      $75/year

      Explore membership options

      Next article More