Ceramics artists.

Jami Porter Lara

For my ceramics unit we were asked to look up some ceramic artists. I have never looked at artists that use this medium before so I didn't even know where to start. I decided to look at some of the artists listed on moodle and an artists called Jami Porter Lara caught my eye.

Jami Porter Lara is an American artist known for her ceramic work that emulates contemporary plastic bottles.

Using these found objects as her inspiration her purpose is to create a new concept in the plastic bottle to try to represent its function as a vessel something that is capable of sustaining human life. She came up with this concept while in the U.S/ Mexican border she also hopes that by taking something like a plastic bottle and making it beautiful she can inspire the viewing to think about ethical beauty as well as an ethics of beauty in the face of human need. I do think so of them look very figurative.


I think this is such an interesting concept. I love how shiny they are also.I tried to look up how she makes these but all I could find was that she uses " an ancient technique indigenous to the chihuahuan dessert."

In class we have just started out brief for ceramics so I don't know much about different techniques at this point but I am excited to practice more with different forms. I kept trying to make sort of functional bowls but my tutor said to stop seeing it as functional and try to focus of form so I think that is what I will focus on more.

Picasso 

In his later years Picasso went on to explore ceramics He began with simple shapes, like plates and bowls. But later started experimenting with more complex shapes.

Some include Greek mythological figures, animal shapes, like owls and fish.... 

I really love some of the colours he used I know these were created in the summer and I wonder if they are a reflection of his surrounds or his mood.






What I love about these is how playful they Are. I like that the handles take shape into something else other than I conventional Handel and the faces on the side of the pot. I find it very interesting also that he decided to make work with a “function”. Plates, bowls and vases.

Charles Catteau

Charles Catteau was a French Art Déco industrial designer. Initially, His work was more traditional and came from traditional inspirations like landscapes, people and naturalistic designs.







After the First World War Catteau’s work became very Art Deco but As his work progressed he started upswing bold colours. And In the mid-1920s Catteau started to cover his vases in designs similar to wallpaper, densely decorating them.

It seemed he was constantly experimenting with different styles, compositions and materials. He Eventually, he began altering the composition of the enamels he used, creating pieces that seemed like glass or more sculptural.

His work was heavily inspired by Japanese’s art This can be observed in his use of vibrant, pure colours and forms; the stylised treatment of figures and symbols; and his careful application of decoration — all suggestive of Japanese ceramic technique. In addition to Japanese art, some of Catteau’s vases reflect a primitivism often found in African Art.

Later in his career Catteau created pieces featuring animals in black or dark colours, set against bright backgrounds. This style, inspired by Chinese art as well as Egyptian hieroglyphics His work had angular birds and repeating ornaments.

 I think these ceramics are very interesting and i don't know where my work will take me but i am glad i have looked at these artists to start with it is interesting to see where they collect there inspiration.

Working with the theme of the Sea.

Once my ceramics and developmental started coming together i started looking at artist that work with a similar theme as mine.

I started by looking at Japanese waves. Usually when i think of a 'Japanese wave' i think of this:

The Great Wave off Kanagawa , also known as The Great Wave or The Wave, is a woodblock print by the Japanese artist Hokusai. It was published sometime between 1829 and 1833.

What i love about this is the graphic feel it has well as the beautiful colours, it is simple yet complex both in concept and visually. 

From the sixteenth century fantastic depictions of waves crashing on rocky shores were painted on folding screens known as "rough seas screens" .

Hokusai drew many waves throughout his career, The combination of wave and mountain was inspired by an oil painting by Shiba Kōkan, an artist strongly influenced by the Western art, particularly Dutch paintings.

A View of Seven-League Beach painting by Shiba Kōkan, 1796

Spring at Enoshima print by Hokusai, c. 1797

His style of depicting waves i found very interesting, even though inspired by the above you can see is own unique hand. 

Particularity the lines used to express the shape of the waves, i will explore in some of my ceramics.


Joseph Mallord William Turner

What i want to focus on is Turners paintings of the sea, He produced many paintings exploring the ocean and the power of the water and sky. 

What i like so much about this work is the overwhelming sense of nature.He really captures the beauty and the power of the ocean. I like the fluid brush strokes and it is something i want to think about when i am making my work for ceramics.

I wanted to explore the idea of painting in this unit, and will continue in my sketch book with my ideas.