the first two images of beakers are an idea in process. the three teapots are in various stages: the first finished, i was looking for degrees of white. the second teapot is hand built from thrown parts. the third train-style teapot is hardly functional but again looking at new shapes and idea. we obviously are all very busy, am sure i will get plenty of feedback at the show so no pressure to comment.
3 comments:
Hi Monica,
I hope you had a great trip to Amsterdam.
In your writing next to your pots, you say that you are working on some ideas but never specify what those ideas are...which leaves me to speculate.
To me, the pots seem like an explorations of contrasts between straight and round. You explore a lot about roundness, both in your form and your decorations. When I think about your pots, I often think about circles. In the top beaker and the two bottom teapots, you use some very straight lines. I find this juxtaposition interesting, and wonder if this is something that you think about, and how you could expand that idea more.
I hope that you are able to get set up to make work in a new place, and that you continue to find and explore the things that are interesting to you...whether they are pots or not. I'm curious about what's next for you; I know that for me, making a move has definitely caused changes in my work.
-Megan
Hi Monica, Martina here...
The first thing that struck me looking at your work on the posting is the proportions of everything. I really enjoyed seeing the beakers at NCECA and have spoken to you about some of the subtleties of the deco that i liked. What struck me this time though was the relationship between the opening at the top, the attachment diameter of the spout and the foot. SUPER! so subtle, but it really works for me in a way that the round green one doesn't. I guess like Megan says - the working of round and straight is subtle here, but provides a turning point of subtle contrast.
Keeping in mind the idea of proportion, the train teapot works for me. I love the decision to place the lid at the rear and what i imagine to be a supplementary handle toward the front left bare is a nice counterpoint. Similarly the contrast between round and straight/ soft and hard in the greenware teapot is also strong. When you say built from thrown parts, is the base components of thrown forms too?
I'm curious to see how these elements translate into the boxes which i imagine to be much more about surface. As always, i like your expressivity with the slip looking at the white teapot and it made me wonder where all the color has gone. i have your lisa orr workshop teapot in my room and love its freshness.
take care and i'm sure we'll talk soon, m
Hi Monica -- I'm glad that you finally got your box!! I hope you had a great trip to visit your sister and that you are back in the studio invigorated after some time away.
There are two pots I am really drawn to in this posting. The round teapot with white slip and the long teapot at the end. I like the way the slip breaks over the throwing lines and the gestural way you comb through the wet slip on the round pot. I feel a connection to very traditional slipware and yet you have elevated the level of looseness in the bodies and decoration that feels very natural and easy. In the long teapot, my eye immediately hones in on the raw exposed clay. I would even consider wiping away some slip on the front end of the pot - perhaps just a hint of more raw clay on the front foot? While you do have some areas on the spout, I think a tad more exposed clay would help tie the front and the rear of this teapot together.
The pot I am least drawn to is the first beaker. I'm still trying to put my finger on exactly what it is that throws this work off for me, but I think it has something to do with the open top. I suppose there are a number of advantages to this design in terms of cleaning, but I think I'm wanting some sort of lid to protect the contents. I like the way you resolved this on the second oil bottle - the round body with the little cap. What about subtly rounding your cap as well so that there is a continuity of "fullness" throughout the piece?
The final thing I'm wondering about are your handles. They feel very even and precise in comparison to the bodies of your pots. Maybe you could give them a pinch here and there after you've applied them? I don't think that it would take much at all, just a little something to visually disrupt the clean lines you currently have.
I can't wait to see where these go next, especially after all of the visual stimulation of nceca!!
--Kip
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