Looking at Art:

Picasso had potters make vessels and plates for him to decorate. So when I learned of the show of his pottery at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, I did not have high expectations for the exhibition. Of course, I was completely wrong about Picasso and his ceramics. He did have potters make vessels and dishes for him, but then he would make additions and alterations to the clay pieces and make such unusual surface decorations that the work was transformed into a remarkable art object. I looked at his work in the show with awe. By the time we had completed our tour of the exhibition, I recognized that my original expectations were based on a small bit of knowledge, without respect for this innovative genius. In the end, the show allowed for a revelation about Picasso and his work in general and his ceramics in particular. Picasso was such an innovator that he constantly broke down barriers that existed in art. He thumbed his nose at traditional norms and rules and deliberately went in new directions with his work. When it comes to ceramics, he opened up the field, which had been primarily functional pottery, and allowed clay artists the freedom to reinterpret all forms made of clay. Picasso initiated a revolution. The present-day field of clay artists is as varied as any other group of art-makers. Have you seen ceramic work that you would consider high art?

Work in the Studio:

The sculpture shown here is part of a series of “jewelry boxes” made of clay and fired in an electric kiln. After firing, the piece was painted with acrylics to achieve the desired patina and the jewelry was added. The title “Jewelry Sniff Box” recalls the snuff boxes of old. As with most of my sculpture, the human body is present. Here, the noses represent these who are destined to adorn their faces.

Sniff Jewelry Box, Ceramic Wall Sculpture, 4" x 9" x2"