Spring 2012: B.F.A. Thesis Show

by Jamie Gonzales  |   

Part of 'Playful Convergences' by Scott JelichOpening Reception: Monday, April 30, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Show Dates:
Monday-Friday, April 30-May 4
Fine Arts Building, Kimura Gallery

The reception will be held on April 30 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. There will be free parking in the Fine Arts Building Parking lot area starting at 5 p.m. that day. The show will run through May 4.

Artist Statement: I create pots that are intended for daily use. By using a wide range of processes I am able to achieve forms and surfaces that bring together a number of influences in my work: children's toys, historical pots, the landscape and fond memories. I exaggerate scale, proportions, and surface to present the viewer with vessels that are playful and poetic. My intent is create a convergence of memory, history and nature by bringing together various process and formal relationships.

My forms are inspired largely by the ceramics from the Goreyo dynasty of Korea (918-1392) and the Sung dynasty of China (960-1279). I find these pots to be a wonderful combination of utility and beauty. I use references from children's toys to depart from these formal structures to create a playful and whimsical interpretation of the ceramic vessel. Pots with hidden or stacking parts remind me of toys from my childhood. I exaggerate parts of the form and create multiple parts to provide layers and hidden surfaces that are only discovered through use and interaction.

The floral silhouettes on the surface of my work are largely influenced by American crafts of tooled saddle leather and early American furniture. I find the tactile variation of these surfaces exciting to both the eye and touch. Many of the floral silhouettes echo Alaskan vegetation and evoke memories of my time outdoors hiking, fishing, and snowboarding.

I am currently using a stoneware clay that is rich in iron. The iron content produces iron spotting through the glaze during the firing process. These uncontrollable surface variations remind me of the landscape I am surrounded by and how it was formed. As a result, I am able to create a variety of textures and a color palette that is reminiscent of the landscape. 

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