Stephanie M. Wilhelm
  • About
    • Bio
    • Artist Statement
    • CV
  • Portfolio
    • Pattern
    • Narrative
    • Thesis Exhibition "A Sense of Place" 2018
    • Teaching Portfolio
  • Educational Resources
  • Blog
  • Connect
  • About
    • Bio
    • Artist Statement
    • CV
  • Portfolio
    • Pattern
    • Narrative
    • Thesis Exhibition "A Sense of Place" 2018
    • Teaching Portfolio
  • Educational Resources
  • Blog
  • Connect
Search

Making Marks....

9/22/2014

0 Comments

 
I carry these ideas as I make. The view that I have of perfection. The love that I have for that incomplete spiral print and that mark expressing change.
Picture
I'm back in the studio.....I can't say it's been a natural transition to be making again. It always takes me time to regain that momentum I had during the preparation of an exhibition. Though now that it's been a few days, I feel content with the work at this point. I have been focusing on smaller items...whiskey cups and mugs have been my pottery of choice, until I am ready to continue my series of "Torn Vases." I'm exploring mark making as I was initially, and the pinching of the rims to thin them and give a loser and more hand-built quality. The idea of mark making reminds me of my favorite quality in a piece of pottery....the quality of process. It's one reason why wood firing has always appealed to me. A mark is an illustration of process.


While preparing for a class demo I made a slip print of a slab onto paper...and it had me thinking about marks, about completion, and about perfection. I have this conversation with students all the time as they test the limits of clay, learn the process of making, and eventually let go of the ideal image of "perfect." Why perfect? What is perfect? Does something have to be entirely complete to be perfect? That print I made isn't a complete spiral...but in my eyes it's far more interesting than if it was. It's beautiful...it's subtle...it's incomplete... It could not be any more perfect.
Picture
“Listen. To live is to be marked. To live is to change, to acquire the words of a story..."
~ Barbara Kingsolver 
'The Poisonwood Bible'
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Hi I'm Stephanie! On my blog you can read about my research, process, techniques, and other ideas and inspirations. Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments!

    Categories

    All
    Anderson Ranch
    Arrowmont
    Buon Fresco
    Butterfly Bend Pottery
    Composition/design
    Courtney Martin
    Decorative Ceramics
    Exhibition
    Form
    Linda Arbuckle
    Narrative
    Pattern
    Photoshop
    Research
    Signature Gallery
    The Dog In Art
    Wood Fire

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • About
    • Bio
    • Artist Statement
    • CV
  • Portfolio
    • Pattern
    • Narrative
    • Thesis Exhibition "A Sense of Place" 2018
    • Teaching Portfolio
  • Educational Resources
  • Blog
  • Connect