Ron Nagle

Ron Nagle, The Mingler, 2003
Porcelain and glaze
3 2/3 x 5 1/2 inches
Courtesy Garth Clark Gallery

 Ron Nagle, The Third Half, 2001
Earthenware
6 x 6 1/2 inches
Courtesy Garth Clark Gallery

Ron Nagle was born in San Fransisco, California in 1939. These works are very masculine, even seductive, and the control he had over the clay is incredible and flawless. As the geometry and form of these works are fascinating, the glazes he uses are what is most fascinating to me. Space is broken up by line and changes value, overarching form. He invests himself in these small works, and claims that they are more influenced by painting. 

http://www.artlies.org/article.php?id=1424&issue=52&s=1

Kjell Rylander

‘untitled’, 2007 (photo janne höglund)

‘circle’, 2000 (photo annci gustafsson)

‘untitled’, 2001 photo (janne höglund)

 ‘resistance’, 2001

 Akershus Kunstnercenter 2003

 

 Kjell Rylander, born in1964, also distorts the function of traditional ceramic work. I find this so captivating! He is a Swedish artist dividing his time between Bergin, Norway and Stockholm. To make these pieces, he uses broken plates, second hand dishes or casts with slip the work from scratch. His education includes Research Fellow at Bergen National Academy of the Arts Dept of Ceramic Art and is connected to the project: Creating Artistic Value/Norwegian Research Council 2009-Konstfack, Stockholm, Sweden. mfa 1996-2001, Capellagarden, Oland, Sweden 1994-96. This artist also uses circles repeatedly in his work. I love the shadow that is created by the 'untitled' piece. The dangerous projection of thin ceramic is just so gorgeous and delicate - I wonder how he fired these to avoid them slumping.


http://www.kjellrylander.com/index.html

Caroline Slotte

From the series Rose Border Multiple, Double Blue II, reworked second hand object, 2007

Photo: Tuukka Paikkari

 

From the series Rose Border Multiple, Multiple Blue I, reworked second hand object, 2007

Photo: Tuukka Paikkari

 From the series Rose Border Multiple, Blue & White (white), reworked second hand object, 2009

White Rose, reworked second hand object, 2003

Behind Pink Skies, reworked second hand object, 2006

These works are reworked second hand objects. I love the idea of upcycling, and I think she has pulled it off very well. These works are so beautiful. The depth created by cutting away parts of the plate and layering is so interesting, and I love that the function of the object is compromised by this process. I also love the color palette she sticks to, and I bet it would be a lot of fun to watch her process...acquiring the plates through hand me downs, thrift stores or estate sales, and then to see how she creates such a precise and smooth line. Fascinating!!

http://www.carolineslotte.com/works/works_2003_2006/8.html

Rebecca Wilson

These are from her series Finest Paperware. This work questions our throwaway culture. She builds this with cast sheets of specially formulated paperclay. These works are a derivative of traditional ceramics, "the ‘Jasperware’ version emulates Wedgewood’s iconic range using stained porcelain slip and embossed relief details in white. And the Dutch classic ‘Blue Delft’ is alluded to in digital decals scanned from hand drawn decals in blue biro." These really do look like paper cups, yet are much more beautiful and engaging. Maybe it's the gold varnish?

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/15526/rebecca-wilson-finest-paperware.html

Bean Finneran

Drawing on aluminum black on white 1, 2010

gesso on aluminum panel

20" x 20"

 

Drawing on paper 1, 2010

paper, pencil and acrylic

23.75" x 31.75"

Incidence and Pattern, 2010

Bean Finneran's work is awesome!Finneran was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1947. She is very well educated, she has studied at Goucher College, University of Michigan, Museum School, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and the Massachusetts College of Art.She has had many solo shows and group exhibitions. I love the movement the lines create in her work, and the way that her clay and two dimensional work correlate so well together.

http://pdxcontemporaryart.com/finneran

Ursus Wehril

These works are from Swiss artist Ursus Wehril's project, "The Art of Clean Up," an upcoming book. He organizes things according to color, shape and size. He organizes meals to parking lots! I don't find it surprising that he is also a comedian. I find it so charming that he even took the polka dots off of the bowl that the fruit was in.

http://trendland.net/ursus-wehrlis-the-art-of-clean-up/

Tiffany Dow

Tiffany Dow  has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drawing and Painting from California College of the Arts. These pieces are charcoal on paper, and showed at the Foley Gallery in New York in 2008. Her work explores the relationship between forms in nature and how we reconstruct them visually.