John Bauer

These works by John Bauer, a South African artist, are quite similar to what I have been experimenting with. I really love them, and strangely it makes me like my work more. It encourages me. The scale of these is magnificent - I have had so much more success working small with this idea, assuming he is knitting these then soaking them in slip. But, his goal is different than mine, though one that I can easily jump on board with. He wants to make the world fall in love with knitting again...beautiful.

Mary Rogers

Porcelain. Bowl with narrow foot, deep squashed bowl with 'deckled' edge. Rows of pierced holes beneath rim (27). Matt apricot and cream glaze

 Porcelain. Flattened oval shape yellow/buff body. Decorated with pattern of grey/brown ovals under a white crackle glaze wich turns blue/green on ovals

 Unique porcelain pinch built footed bowl with folded/frilled body and hand painted glaze decoration to interior, c. 1990.
Incised "MER"
Height 4 1/4" (10.5cm) Width 5" (12.5cm)

 Interior view.

I wish this blog could make the noise these make me feel, but it cannot. Mary Rogers ceramic forms represent organic form and freedom. These works are absolutely gorgeous and delicate. I love the deckles edge and the holes in the first piece, the crackle glaze interacting with all that is beneath the surface, and the octopus looking innards of the third bowl. Her playfulness with symmetry is both engaging and appropriate for these porcelain forms.

Kate Malone

Madame Bouquet Vase, 2006, 46 cm. 

Pine Cone Box, 2004, 46 cm.

Spruecy Bean Pod, 2006, 43 cm. 

 

Kate Malone incorporates elements from her every day life into her ceramic work. Her work is very sculptural and often times symmetrical.  She uses positive symbolism in her work that is both playful and serious. She works in London primarily, but has smaller satellite studios in Barcelona and Provence...boy does that sound nice! She has a book titled "Kate Malone, A Book of Pots."

 

http://www.katemaloneceramics.com/about.html

 

Stephanie Syjuco

Stephanie Syjuco is a trickster. These works displayed were for her first solo show, at Catherine Clark Gallery, titled Raiders. She makes bold statements with her work. She gathers images of antique pottery and prints them at their original size, and then adheres to laser cut backings. These works are removed from their traditional context, function is distorted, gender roles questioned. She uses Asian pottery, questioning her heritage. She asks the question: who is the raider, the institution or the artist? Her concept is fascinating, and I think she pulled it off quite well.

http://www.stephaniesyjuco.com/cat_new.html

http://www.stephaniesyjuco.com/cat_new.html

Margrieta Jeltema

Margrieta Jeltema, who grew up in the Netherlands, creates forms that flow,  are quite thin and appear to be translucent. It looks as though she uses slip to create these, maybe even a paperclay, or just super thin porcelain slabs. But I am not positive, and now I am quite curious! The photographs I have seen online of her work are just breathtaking - to see one of these in person would be magical. When lighted in a certain way, they glow. Most of her work has very little color and when it does, it is in harmony with the form. These works are incredibly elegant and feminine.

http://www.margrietajeltema.com/ceramics/

Maria Wojdat

Open (acid yellow)

Rounded (Sequence red to yellow)

Colour Lines

Maria Wojdat's work explores color, line and form, and the relationship between spontaneity and control.  She received her bachelors in arts with honors in Graphic Design at the University of West England and her masters in Ceramic Design at Bath Spa University College in 2007, and since her work has popped up in many shows and publications. I wish I could see the bottom of just one of these, and I am curious as to whether they are heavy or not. These pieces are solid earthenware, with colored engobes sealed with wax. 

http://www.mariawojdat.co.uk/index.html

Taizo Kuroda

 

No. 8

No. 14

No. 21

 No. 22

No. 23

Japanese artist Taizo Kuroda's 'pure white' porcelain works are beautiful, and reflect his search for truth. In Japan, pottery is the most highly regarded of the arts. He uses fine grain sand paper to make his works smooth, and burnishes them, but does not use a glaze. This creates an eggshell like surface that is aesthetically pleasing, and I imagine the tactile experience would be marvelous as well. These forms are lovely, well balanced, and so incredibly thin, contrasting in No. 22 with the heavy foot. These works are all functional, but have a sculptural feel to them as well. Because of the incredible stylistic difference between them you couldn't tell by looking at his work that he has trained under the master Tatsuzo Shimaoka. I found this beautiful quote on his website: "A shape derives from the moment formlessness encounters form." 

http://www.taizo-kuroda.com/profile.htm