Growing up with Ideas of Rebellion...April Terry-Griffith Final

   Ideas of rebellion and experimentation have been in the essence of my life ever since I can remember. I was that little girl climbing trees, and idolizing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles instead of Barbie dolls. I actually preferred to cut the Barbie dolls' hair and give them neon colored highlights that I would eventually don myself in later teen years. Having parents who weren't completely present showed me first hand what rebellion and nontraditional meant, and what going against the norm was. It also led me through some rocky terrains in life. Experimentation in life is something I have been known to live by, someone even once gifted me a cheesy t-shirt that said “I'll Try Anything Once, Twice if I Like it.” Now is not the time nor place to dive into details (or is it?), but I will say that coming from an unstable upbringing and a constant world of many distractions have influenced my approach on art. Being estranged from my mother for many years and just recently reconnecting has given me a different outlook on life. I have decided that life is too short to hold to my fears and anxieties. Juggling so much in life at the moment, I needed something to center myself but at the same time challenge myself and mix things up. I need a change in routine.

   

Working simultaneously on several projects throughout this semester for numerous reasons, I chose to focus on clay for this class. I am usually painting or making jewelry, but I wanted to set some time aside to re-visit clay. This book has most definitely reignited a flame for ceramics. The PBS Craft in American has contributed to that as well. It has been 5 years or so since I have used the wheel. I dedicated 6 weekends up at the high school I teach to throw, as I do not own a wheel. It was difficult at first, but I finally got the hang of it. I will say that it was very therapeutic and stress relieving to throw. I was so at peace at times it was unbelievable, I want to make the wheel my new therapist. Being in my empty, quiet classroom void of students with beautiful sunlight beaming through the windows was so very picturesque. I wanted to experiment with wax resist and I hope that is evident with the textures I was able to achieve. One morning I was playing with the wax as a few students walked in and they were captivated. I often had to squeeze 5-10 minutes throughout the day to glaze here and there while I was teaching, so my process was based on flexibility. It was the only way to get them completed. 

photo of glazing in classroom

When it comes to making art, I am always looking for new techniques and often feel like I am hopping from one medium to the next. It is kind of hard for me to focus on one thing. The experimentation of Otto and Gertrude Natzler and the breakthroughs of Soldner were influential and gave me a little hope when I was having difficulties. I did not know much of the history of ceramics until this course. I really connected with Otto Natzler's quote “Our lack of knowledge went hand in hand with a lack of inhibitions.” Having only taken one throwing class in undergrad, I am not afraid to admit my lack of knowledge. I think it allowed me to be more free when handling the material. I am not familiar with making glazes, nor that many firing techniques. I know a little about a lot when it comes to ceramics, and my goal with this project was to explore with glazing and challenge myself to throw on the wheel. The pieces I threw are not grand in size, but I did have the best time “painting” with my glazes. 

                                     Carlton Ball, vase, n.d. Ceramic, height, 18 in (page 200)

One piece by Carlton Ball (page 200) really influenced my decision to experiment with the wax resist and glazes. He did not know if he was to become a painter or sculptor, and that is how I feel as of now in my career. I feel I am a jack of all trades, master of none. I know a little about a lot and don't quite know what I want to focus on. Maybe it has something to do with my personality, or maybe I just have a short attention span. There is something about the act of splattering paint/wax/ink that is so liberating. I think I needed that during this project. 

The glazing process allowed me to release energy in a way without focusing as much as throwing. Yes, I was conscious about my drips and color palette, I think that came naturally. But at the same time I was still free and intuitive about it. To me, energies are merging and moving when I use drip techniques with glazing or painting. I have always been attracted to different qualities and viscosity levels of liquids. There is something about a slow drip that is comforting to me, and it satisfying to be able to control and distort them. I chose a few bright colors for some under glazing and then layered wax and darker glazes on top. In my mind it represented brightness and high energy being covered and washed out by negativity and darkness. Dealing with depression and anxiety, perhaps that is how I feel at times. So much positivity to offer yet it is washed away by another element. The wax resist in my work was only able to preserve some of the bright colors. Not related to clay in any way, but the copper enameling of Paul Hultberg is so spectacular, and I think it has some parallels to my painting and glazing style. When I saw this photo in our book, I was like "Hey that looks like a painting I would do!" I was instantly attracted to the qualities of enameling and hope to dabble one day. I absolutely was in awe after looking at his work. Here is my favorite piece:

Paul Hultberg, Little Fault, 1972. Enamel on Copper; 48x24 in. (page 246)

Now I will share some photos of my work. Please keep in mind that I am a beginner thrower, but I welcome any and all criticism! Not only in technique, but also in labeling and photographing my work. Practice piece I threw to test some wax resist on:

Thrown stoneware, wax resist and crystalline glaze, 9 in. 

                    (detail)

You will notice that I have pinched/altered the lips of the following pieces. I absolutely could not keep them as perfect circles. It was killing me inside. Maybe my OCD kicked in, and I received positive feedback on it, so I continued. It allowed me to give each one a different personality and I eventually  gave each piece a name. They became a little family of pots to me, each one able to hold a different amount of whatever. The holes I pierced at the tops symbolize a realization I have had in life: even though you may keep collecting something (love, money, fame), or strive to reach a particular goal, things will still be lost. There is always a breaking point. The liquids will fill these vessels, but all of the liquid cannot possibly be held. Plus, I simply like the aesthetic of the holes. I almost laced them with another material like rope, lace or string. It's something I may explore.

 "Lenny: He's a Little Guy", 2016. glazed stoneware, 4 in.  

                     

  "Maxine: She's Slightly Unstable", 2016. glazed stoneware, 5 in. with detail

                                      "Wallace: The Confident One," 2016. glazed stoneware, 8 in.

"Bert: Kind of Just There," 2016. glazed stoneware, 5 in.

Group of 3 out of 6 (my favorites):

"Wallace, Lenny and Maxine"

"....the hands inform the mind, not the other way around. Process has always been my trigger; understanding for me comes through doing and redoing"  -William Daley