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On View: Courtney Mattison’s “Our Changing Seas III” at the Tang Museum

Courtney Mattison’s ceramics are clearly inspired and motivated by the ocean — that immense, powerful and precious resource whose details are still largely hidden from us. Self-identifying as both an artist and “ocean advocate," Mattison has created massive installations, “Our Changing Seas, I-III,” that cover a bio-diverse selection of coral reef forms. Displayed in a gallery, the pieces appear to grow out of the wall, as if miraculously alive in the dry, alien atmosphere. The ceramic medium allows for remarkable ranges in color, spanning the spectrum of actual living coral to the bone-dry, matte whiteness of its dead state. Both versions are present in Mattison’s pieces, reminding us that these entities are desperately in need of preservation. "Our Changing Seas III" is currently on view at the Tang Museum at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Courtney Mattison’s ceramics are clearly inspired and motivated by the ocean — that immense, powerful and precious resource whose details are still largely hidden from us. Self-identifying as both an artist and “ocean advocate,” Mattison has created massive installations, “Our Changing Seas, I-III,” that cover a bio-diverse selection of coral reef forms. Displayed in a gallery, the pieces appear to grow out of the wall, as if miraculously alive in the dry, alien atmosphere. The ceramic medium allows for remarkable ranges in color, spanning the spectrum of actual living coral to the bone-dry, matte whiteness of its dead state. Both versions are present in Mattison’s pieces, reminding us that these entities are desperately in need of preservation. “Our Changing Seas III” is currently on view at the Tang Museum at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Photos by Arthur Evans.

Topics

ceramics, Courtney Mattison, installation, Our Changing Seas III, sculpture, Skidmore College, Tang Museum

installation, Klaus Pinter, sculpture

January 6, 2016

Austrian artist Klaus Pinter explores the potential of the space around us with his fantastical floating installations. Usually suspended in mid air, his giant artworks are at once light, fluid, soft, and mechanical. They are also incredibly bizarre, created using a combination of different textures and inflatable materials like plastic and nylon. Many who see his works describe them as curious flying machines and angelic cocoons, speaking to the artist's ability to alter our perceptions, even the way we see famous landmarks from the Pantheon in Rome to the Seine waterway in Paris.

Preview: Dirk Staschke’s “Executing Merit” at Winston Wachter Fine Art

ceramics, Dirk Staschke, sculpture, Winston Wachter Fine Art

February 23, 2015

While Dirk Staschke's past work has had a meticulously polished look, his latest series of sculptures for his upcoming solo show, "Executing Merit" at Seattle's Winston Wachter Fine Art, reveal the rough-hewn edges of his process. Staschke (whom we featured in HF Vol. 23) creates opulent ceramic still lifes that evoke 17th-century vanitas paintings. In his previous pieces, he labored to conceal the evidence of his hand-executed process. His latest work, however, juxtaposes pristinely glazed forms with unglazed, unrefined surfaces, exposing the craft behind Staschke's typically immaculate work. "Craft and skill have always been important in my work and by examining this further my recent sculptures have become an exercise in relinquishing control," wrote Staschke in his artist statement. "Executing Merit" opens on March 3 and will be on view through April 15.

Sculptures by Anne Lemanski Explore Nature, Modernity

Anne Lemanski, Mixed Media, sculpture

August 5, 2016

When studying Anne Lemanski's sculptures, the artist's choice in medium becomes just as intriguing as the subject depicted. Working from her extensive personal collection, the artist uses a variety of materials - from vinyl and book pages to textiles and vintage photos - to create life-size sculptures of animals and objects. While some pieces are more open to interpretation, others not-so-subtly address the social, political and environmental issues we face in modern times.

Jocelyn Y. Howard’s Strange Ceramic Figures

ceramics, Jocelyn Y. Howard, sculpture

May 2, 2017

Jocelyn Y. Howard, a ceramics sculptor, creates surreal figures that explore identity, gender, and other social topics. Howard immersed herself in ceramics after studying under Michael Sherrill in 2005. Since, she’s amassed a collection of strange and absorbing characters, all reflecting both the potential and otherworldliness of the material.

On View: Courtney Mattison’s “Our Changing Seas III” at the Tang Museum

Klaus Pinter’s Floating Installations Explore the Potential of Space

Preview: Dirk Staschke’s “Executing Merit” at Winston Wachter Fine Art

Sculptures by Anne Lemanski Explore Nature, Modernity

Jocelyn Y. Howard’s Strange Ceramic Figures

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