We've finally hung some art that we bought this summer- It was done by my good friend Kristen Perrott as part of her thesis exhibition "core samples". The show was phenomenal and the pieces are show stoppers, they're clay, which she's molded into the rectangular (or circular) wall hangings, with lots of textural elements, but the form itself is just the beginning. She glazes each piece multiple times, depending on the outcome and adds to it- or covers up as she goes- a piece might go through as many as eight firings. For those of you who are unaware- when you glaze a piece of ceramics you're never quite sure what it will look like- the place in the kiln, surrounding chemicals, thickness or method of application all affect the end result, so it's a bit of a risk firing ceramics, it can be part of the thrill of clay.
Kristen was a painter first, and the thing to me that is remarkable about these ceramic pieces is the way that they mirror the method of painting- not just in form- because they are primarily pieces that attach to a wall like paintings, and are viewed in a similar way, but in the way she's working with it. Her glaze applications are 'painterly', and through her multiple firings she's found a way to make her work reflect that.
The finished pieces are beautiful, appealing works of art, that can be and are appreciated by anyone, but the method of her work makes them intriguing to artists as well, which is a major feat. It is a fantastic and rare thing when art can appeal on so many levels, as this work does, and it's deeply satisfying to hang such work where I can enjoy it daily.
I love these pieces. And the tactile quality is what appeals the most to me. I had no idea they were so complex on the craftsmanship side of things. In my opinion, the best art seems effortless.
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