Lobby Case, on view July 2 – October 7, 2022
Pottery is one of the oldest art forms. Over millennia, humans have developed techniques for using heat to harden vessels formed from clay. Most modern ceramicists use electric kilns, which are predictable and relatively easy to operate. Mark Johnson and Zuzka Vaclavik use a laborious wood fire process to create most of the ceramic pieces on view in the Lobby Case. The process, which requires round-the-clock attention and care, allows for surprising results. Zuzka relies on serendipity in creating surface designs, anticipating the fire will be a collaborator. Mark controls his obsessive surface drawings with a repetitive and intentional line. Techniques and practices that function off-the-grid, such as the wood fire process, promise to persevere during times of uncertainty. When facing the anxiety of potential loss, the simplicity of wood, fire, and clay is alluring.
Lobby Case, on view July 2 – October 7, 2022
Pottery is one of the oldest art forms. Over millennia, humans have developed techniques for using heat to harden vessels formed from clay. Most modern ceramicists use electric kilns, which are predictable and relatively easy to operate. Mark Johnson and Zuzka Vaclavik use a laborious wood fire process to create most of the ceramic pieces on view in the Lobby Case. The process, which requires round-the-clock attention and care, allows for surprising results. Zuzka relies on serendipity in creating surface designs, anticipating the fire will be a collaborator. Mark controls his obsessive surface drawings with a repetitive and intentional line. Techniques and practices that function off-the-grid, such as the wood fire process, promise to persevere during times of uncertainty. When facing the anxiety of potential loss, the simplicity of wood, fire, and clay is alluring.
