There are so many amazing artists out there... Each of them tell a story through their work...
A thrown plate showcasing a leaf imprint - Courtesy Studio Ataash.
“'Ataash' - A combination of the Persian words, 'Atish' (playing with fire) and 'Akaash' (sky)."
There are a couple of artists that I have connected with, offering the invaluable inspiration needed to create my own works of art. Below, I offer a brief description of some of the artists that I researched and why I connected with him/her. In my subsequent entries, I will mention more artists and describe how they have specifically influenced my designs.
Artists Who Inspired Me:
1. Ambika Shankar - Founder of Studio Ataash, Bangalore (est. 2013)
I recently went on an exciting three-week expedition to India in January 2020. It was my first visit to the Motherland, and a rather unforgettable one at that. Coming back to Trinidad, my my mind was saturated with images of beautiful architecture of the many ancient temples I visited. With the vibrance of India ever present in my mind, I began researching ceramists hailing from India and so I stumbled upon Shankar's work. Using nature as her inspiration; flowers, leaves and twigs that grow in her garden, Shankar's word exudes a very organic and "homey" vibration. I especially love how she incorporates these natural materials (leaves) in her designs. The simplicity together with the rustic charm of her pieces is what caught my eye. I used her as my main inspiration for my pieces.
2. Steve Kelly - Founder of Kelly Pottery, North Carolina
Given that a lot of our assigned pieces for this course consisted of kitchenware (mugs and bowls), I focused on finding an artist that specialised in these pieces. That is when if found Kelly Pottery. "Kelly Pottery has a simple mission: to craft useful and beautiful ceramic objects that are equally at home on the table and the mantle."
What I found interesting is that, Kelly uses a water-etching technique, which he perfected in Portland, Oregon, USA, to create geometric patterns in his clay. Coincidentally, I had the opportunity to travel to Portland in 2017, and was able to experience the rich and diverse artistic community first-hand. The buildings of the downtown city are coloured in graffiti, paying homage to its young and vibrant artistic community. Kelly's colour scheme of soothing blues, greys and whites, coupled with his simple and geometric patterns attracted me to this pieces.
3. Akira Satake - Founder of Akira Satake Ceramics, North Carolina
"Collaboration means finding what the clay wants to be and bringing out its beauty in the way that the beauty of our surroundings is created through natural forces."
What attracted me to Satake's work was this statement. When I read it, I understood why he used earthy tones and textures in his kurinuki pieces. I also realised that I was developing a love for organic and earthy objects, similar to Ambika Shankar's work. The Kurinuki technique in particular is premised on carving away at clay until it becomes "something". According to Satake, this final state is a representation of its surroundings/source. I think my attraction to his work was for more spiritual than anticipated. Nonetheless, his work definitely inspired me in the creation of my pieces.
4. Brit McDaniel - Founder of Paper & Clay, USA
The simplicity of the designs brought forth by McDaniel is what attracted me the most. I love how much technique can be showcased in having clean lines and simple design. McDaniel draws "inspiration from Scandinavian modernism — simple, warm, purposeful objects grounded in natural forms and colours."
5. Karan from KaransPotsAndGlass
Karan is a high school ceramic teacher who posts very useful and instructional videos on YouTube. I would say that she is definitely one of my inspirations because a lot of the templates and designs that I used were referenced from her tutorials.
6. Amman Khanna - Founder of Claymen, New Delhi
"These objects add aesthetic by taking it away. They are minimal. They are functional. They simply are what they are: a celebration of a style that lives at peace with its own little imperfections." Again I was captured by the intent and artist put forward by another artist. I think making functional pieces (which is what this ceramic course has challenged me to do), is so critical in furthering the story of a piece. It adds and builds to a pieces's "legacy" so to speak, no matter how "simple" that pieces may look on the outside. I hope that I am able to add function to my pieces while maintaining simplicity and sophistication as Khanna has done.
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