It’s hard to believe that we are halfway through April already and the two ceramic grad students, Max Saunders and Austin Riddle, have installed their thesis shows. I posted about Austin’s show yesterday, so check that out if you missed it.
In my first year at USU, I was impressed with Ayla Murray, Matt Sloan and Josh Scott’s thesis shows… but that’s feeling very far away for me. This year, with these shows going up, I am feeling the pressure build up to mine next year. Anyway, enough of my anxiety, this is a blog post is to document Max’s show for anyone who could not make it in person.
First up, here’s Max’s statement about the exhibition:
“ARTIFACT”
“My work is heavily inspired by archeology, geology, and a sense of time. Clay, deposited in the soil years ago, is wedged and shaped to pleasing forms. Often I will sketch in clay for months or years as I search for the correct weight and balance for the pot. Once I am happy with the shape, I use it as a canvas for a pallet of gestural marks. I carve, stretch, and beat the clay in ways that emphasize or change its form. These marks are often read as a sign of geological weathering or erosion. I chose to woodfire my work as it adds an extra layer of dynamic marks to the piece, which can be controlled with careful loading and firing strategies.
The overall goal is to create objects that can be interacted with in a variety of ways. Cups are drunk from and their surface is explored, revealing exciting moments from the creation and firing processes. My current series of sculptural vessels allows me to take this mark making process and explore it more deeply, as the ultimate form has no need to be functional. Ultimately these forms are for both visual and tactile exploration. I seek to create work that is visually and physically dynamic, carrying a sense of age while remaining fresh and immediate.”
Here’s a couple of wide shots to show you how “Artifact” looks in the gallery:
For anyone into wood firing, this show is a treat! Since I have been at USU, Max has been the main wood firer on campus. He has tried many approaches with different clays, slips and washes and different firing and cooling schedules. The pots and sculptures in “Artifact” came from 6 or 7 different train kiln firings. The firings ranged from cone 10 to cone 13 (possibly hotter even in some spots). Max saved the best from each firing over the last year for this exhibition.
I’ve seen his method, particularly in the sculptural forms, develop a lot over the past couple of years. Max has really honed in on the marks he makes and tying the forms to the wood fired surfaces. More than anything, the variation of surface Max achieved is remarkable.
Lets start with some photos of his sculptural axe pieces:
Here are some close ups:
Alongside these sculptural vessels Max displayed an array of cups and teapots too. These show off the variety of wood fired surfaces he achieved on smaller canvases.
Now on to the teapots! As you may know, I am a bit obsessed with teapots and had to acquire one of these. The first one pictured here is coming home with me!
Max also showed one of his voluminous coil pots in the show. This one has a particularly intriguing surface:
Let’s end with some pictures during the opening reception (including two very cute pictures: one of Max and his dad, and one of my daughter, Juniper):
“Artifact” is up in the Tippets and Eccles Gallery at USU until Friday 22nd April; come on over if you live anywhere close!