pottery

Subterms

    Latest story

    113 Shares99 Views

    Embroidered Ceramic Vessels by Caroline Harrius Merge Disparate Crafts

    by

    All images courtesy of Caroline Harrius, shared with permission

    Embroidered Ceramic Vessels by Caroline Harrius Merge Disparate Crafts

    January 7, 2025

    ArtCraft

    Kate Mothes

    Share

    Pin

    Email

    Bookmark

    Through tiny holes puncturing hand-shaped vessels, Stockholm-based artist Caroline Harrius (previously) embroiders delicate designs. She merges two distinct crafts—ceramics and fiber art—that don’t typically share much in common, exploring relationships between form and function, decoration and utility, and historically gendered artisanal practices.

    Harrius opens a solo show this month titled Blue Memories at Kaolin in Stockholm, the culmination of a three-month residency she undertook in Porsgrunn, Norway, after being awarded the municipality’s porcelain grant. The program comprises a collaborative effort between the local porcelain factory and Kunsthall Grenland to support contemporary artistry in the material.

    “The meeting between textile and ceramics is irrational and full of resistance,” Harrius says in a statement for the exhibition. She spent time at the Porsgruns Porcelain Factory with free reign to expand on existing ideas and apply new inspiration.

    “Next to the workshop was an antique dealer with rows of boxes marked ’10 SEK for everything!,’ filled with objects,” she says. From these trinkets, which the dealer had deemed practically worthless, Harrius imagined new floral designs.

    “I embroider in porcelain with cotton thread in an attempt to recontextualize the crafts,” she says. “I want to make an attempt to highlight all the precious and impressive craft objects that are often left behind within the walls of the home, continue to challenge hierarchies in the field, and make visible traditional female craftsmanship.”

    Blue Memories runs from January 11 to 26. See more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

    Photo by Alexander Beveridge

    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

    More stories

    • 125 Shares179 Views

      in Art

      Dabin Ahn Balances Hope and Melancholy in His Sculptural Paintings

      by

      “Circle of Life” (2024). All images courtesy of Dabin Ahn, shared with permission

      Dabin Ahn Balances Hope and Melancholy in His Sculptural Paintings

      October 24, 2024

      Art

      Grace Ebert

      Share

      Pin

      Email

      Bookmark

      A trio of small pottery shards, two painted on linen and one terracotta, nest inside a walnut frame for Dabin Ahn’s “Circle of Life.” Displayed on brass dowels, these fragments depict various stages of vitality, whether a faintly speckled butterfly or a candle snuffed out, leaving a thin wisp of smoke trailing onto the canvas.

      Blurring the boundary between two and three dimensions, Ahn frequently strives for balance. When rendering deep shadows and melancholic moods, he intersperses soft lighting through candles and fireflies. These ephemeral, dynamic forms also counter the static motifs decorating his vessels.

      “Everything I do is scripted,” the artist adds, noting that the actual pottery shards are not found objects but meticulously carved fragments of a planter in his studio.

      “Constellation (Little Dipper)” (2024)

      Born in Seoul, Ahn was raised in a creative family. His father is renowned actor Ahn Sung-Ki, and the basics of filmmaking—following a script, framing a shot to capture a mood, conjuring emotional responses—ground some of the artist’s practice. After a compulsory two years in the Korean Air Force, the artist finished his degree at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and he still calls the city home.

      As an undergrad, Ahn dabbled in abstraction before settling firmly in representation, beginning with self-portraits and later venturing into still life. Part of that decision came from a desire to make work with multiple entry points. A viewer could appreciate the delicate interplay of light and shadow in “Aura,” for example, without having a robust knowledge of Korean porcelain traditions. But, like the tiny scenes the artist tucks into the sides of paintings, in his work, there’s always more to be found by taking a second look.

      Ahn is deeply engaged with art history and the ceramic practices of his native Korea. His vessels often evoke the white porcelain ware of the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910), elegant forms evoking the purity and minimalism of Neo-Confucianist thought. Cobalt motifs and a blue tinge later emerged as a rare and highly valued twist on the traditional vessels.

      Although Ahn no longer works in self-portraiture, his works are always autobiographical and reflective of what’s happening in his life. As he opens his solo exhibition, Good Things Take Time, this week at Harper’s Gallery in New York, he’s more hopeful than he has been for a while.

      “Twin Flame” (2024)

      Ahn’s father was diagnosed with cancer in 2020, and the artist spent the last four years processing the news and grieving. “It really affected the reality of things,” he shared. “My work was all over the place. I was making paintings. I was making sculptures. The image was not really there, and it was not cohesive. I was just mentally not stable at the time, maybe a little too depressed.”

      Then last year, Ahn decided to scrap the work he made and begin anew. Rather than face the vast, if not daunting, white space of a blank canvas, he started small by painting a taper candle on the side frame. “It was a very meditative process. Candles are related to meditation and hold a lot of emotion. It was really calming for me,” he adds.

      He began to carve away sections of frames to reveal smaller works within the larger composition. Today, his studio is bisected to create a clean space for painting and another for his woodshop. Ahn is reflective and incredibly focused, and he works on both parts of a composition simultaneously, fostering a constant conversation between painting and sculpture.

      Candles feature prominently in this new body of work and offer a counterpoint to the sometimes somber elements of the artist’s work. Symbols of hope and warmth, the flames softly illuminate the vestiges of a vessel or the beveled edges of a wooden frame.

      “Symbiosis” (2024)

      Similarly, the butterflies and moths painted on the pottery shards are met with lively insects that, in the case of “Twin Flame,” cast a shadow as they flutter across the canvas. He adds:

      I choose to depict insects not only because they appear in some of the objects I reference, but because they almost feel like a universal language, similar to how candles are among the most easily recognizable objects. I want my works to be approachable and inviting to all audiences regardless of their background.

      Although they contain remnants of previous bodies of work, these new paintings mark a turning point. “I think I’m done with the really sad sadness,” the artist says. “It’s bright, almost happy. There’s hope this time.”

      Good Things Take Time is on view through December 7. Find more from the artist on Instagram.

      “Aura” (2024)

      Detail of “Symbiosis” (2024)

      “Good Things Take Time (2)” (2024)

      Detail of “Twin Flame” (2024)

      “Good Things Take Time (3)” (2024)

      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 Shares129 Views

      in Art

      Vintage Fabrics Encase Ceramic Shards in Zoë Hillyard’s Mended Pottery

      by

      
      Art
      Craft
      #ceramics
      #found objects
      #pottery
      #silk
      #textilesDecember 2, 2021Grace Ebert“Spring Vase” (2017), silk, linen, ceramic, and thread, 28 x 17 centimeters. All images © Zoë Hillyard, shared with permissionBirmingham, U.K.-based artist Zoë Hillyard revitalizes shattered vases and bowls by melding traditional craft techniques. She wraps a mishmash of vintage silks and fabrics around individual ceramic shards, binding the broken pieces with tightly stitched thread. Appearing glazed with antique florals and other ornate motifs, the patchwork forms contrast the original shape of the pottery with the newly mended exterior, a reconfigured finish that’s commonly disrupted by missing pieces and jagged edges.Gathering the source materials from ceramicists’ reject piles or by receiving broken family heirlooms for commissions, Hillyard works with the initial shape and purpose in mind. She says:Like archaeological treasures, they display imperfections in the form of holes and irregularity, and all the more interesting for them. Each piece is unique in terms of the combinations of materials used, the pattern of breakage, the impact of colour and print and aesthetic decisions made during reconstruction.Hillyard’s body of work is replete with metaphorical and physical tension and contrast between the old and new. Although the pieces appear delicate and light like the fabrics that envelop their sides, they retain the heftiness and weight of clay and are warmer to the touch than a porcelain vessel, for example. “Most surprisingly, they often have a subtle flex, disconcerting when contrasted with traditional ‘solid’ forms of ceramic repair,” the artist shares. “I enjoy these ambiguities, with the work challenging expectations and conventional definitions.”In addition to her practice, Hillyard teaches textile design at Birmingham City University. She currently has pieces at Contemporary Applied Arts in London and will show new works in June 2022 at The Pool House Gallery in Gloucestershire. Until then, explore more of her process and mended projects on Instagram. (via Women’s Art)“Shard Vase” (2016), silk, ceramic, and thread, 35 x 25 centimetersDetail of “Spring Vase” (2017), silk, linen, ceramic, and thread, 28 x 17 centimeters“Gestalt Vase” (2019), silk, ceramic, and thread“White Patch Vase” (2017), silk, ceramic, and thread, 35 x 21centimeters“Birdseye Vase” (2016), silk, ceramic, and thread, 45 x 27 centimeters“Katharina Klug Kimono Bowl” (2017), 14.5 x 27 centimeters“Stormy Vase” (2017), silk, ceramic, and thread, 25 x 20 centimeters
      #ceramics
      #found objects
      #pottery
      #silk
      #textilesDo stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member and support independent arts publishing. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about contemporary art, help support our interview series, gain access to partner discounts, and much more. Join now! Share this story  More

    • 200 Shares139 Views

      in Art

      Meticulous Sculptures by Artist Carol Long Highlight the Curved Lines and Colorful Embellishments Found in Nature

      by

      
      Art
      Craft
      #animals
      #ceramics
      #insects
      #plants
      #potteryNovember 30, 2021Grace EbertAll images © Carol Long, shared with permissionHonoring the humble shape of the vessel is at the center of Carol Long’s practice. From her studio in rural Kansas, the artist throws simple ceramic cylinders that she contorts into supple butterfly wings,  curved chrysalises, or vases with embellished handles.“When it comes off the potter’s wheel, that’s just the beginning,” she tells Colossal. “I usually sit for a second and look at the piece and see which way I can push it out or in.”The resulting forms are evocative of both flora and fauna and traditional pottery, although Long’s sculptures emphasize smooth, sinuous walls and squiggly bases rather than angled edges. She uses slip trailing to add tactile decorative elements to the piece like small spheres, handles, or raised linework. “The relationship between the glazes that are inside the vectors, the shapes made by the slip trailing, are really important in how they’re divided and how they sit next to each other,” she says, noting that the process is particularly meticulous because it involves applying the material to each intricate, ribbed pattern and delicate outline.Whether a vase or wide-mouthed jar, the whimsical sculptures are brimming with color and textured details. “I love the flowing lines, and I love the idea of framing a picture on my pots. A lot of times I have a focal point like an animal or insect and then I’ve framed it with other designs,” the artist says.Long is hosting an annual open house at her studio next month and will show a body of work at Charlie Cummings Gallery in July of 2022. Until then, shop available pieces on Etsy—she also has an update slated for mid-December—and follow her latest pieces on Instagram. (via Women’s Art)
      #animals
      #ceramics
      #insects
      #plants
      #potteryDo stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member and support independent arts publishing. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about contemporary art, help support our interview series, gain access to partner discounts, and much more. Join now! Share this story  More

    • 100 Shares129 Views

      in Art

      Multi-Story Murals Showcase Domesticity through Elegant Ceramic Tableware

      by

      
      Art

      #ceramics
      #murals
      #pottery
      #public art
      #street art
      #tableware

      October 23, 2020
      Grace Ebert

      Oviedo, Spain. All images © Manolo Mesa, shared with permission
      Spanish street artist Manolo Mesa merges public and private spheres through large-scale murals that highlight simple domestic objects. The multiple-story artworks depict traditional dining scenes, from an elegant porcelain tea set to a lone jug with swirling flourishes to another vessel resting on a saucer.
      To complete a recent tableau in Oviedo, Spain, for Parees Fest, Mesa explored the history of an abandoned pottery factory in San Claudio. Event organizers gathered tableware from local residents, a collection that informed the shapes and exterior motifs of his work. “I was able to see all the evolution of this earthenware in the houses of Oviedo. I found postwar pieces, which were inherited and preserved with great affection by collectors. We saw (the) tableware of a lifetime from the middle of the century,” he writes on Instagram. Showcasing a delicate collection of vessels, the resulting mural explores an otherwise hidden facet of local history.
      Find Mesa on Instagram to view some works-in-progress and follow his ceramic-centric projects.

      #ceramics
      #murals
      #pottery
      #public art
      #street art
      #tableware

      Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member and support independent arts publishing. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about contemporary art, help support our interview series, gain access to partner discounts, and much more. Join now!

       
      Share this story
        More