Photos and text by Robert Kokenyesi, Ceramic Artist at Beachfront Pottery, Godfrey, IL, USA.

Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, Illinois is home for an active faculty and student artist community.  From April 21 to May 12 the students put on an art show with several ceramic art pieces.  The art was set up in the Schmidt Art Center; the pedestals in the hallway have much too light for ideal photography, so, please excuse the less than perfect images.

Vases and pitchers

The vase/vessel on the left is an interesting combination of ceramics and organic decor, such as feathers in this case.

The pitcher on the left has a marbled body which usually indicates layering of white earthenware and red/brown clay.

 

 

 

 

 

The vase on the left has pieces cut from the clay sheet, and bent outward to form the petal-like structures.

The can on the right had a very attractive surface coloration.  This was nice piece, altogether.

 

 

 

 

 

These two vases looked like came from slab construction.  The maple leaf-like top is a nice looking feature on the right.  On the left the curved clay sheets were probably attached to the core vase; nice blue glazing at the edges.

 

 

 

 

 

The three frogs are formed on the top structure that looks like a lid/stopper on that pitcher.

The shape of the pitcher on the left was very eye-catching, and the surface carvings were a good fit.

 

 

 

 

 

The vase on the left is very simple, yet innovative, because the relief birds on the inside and outside surfaces.

The surface texture combined with the glazing made that piece look good.

 

 

Figurative sculptures

 

The figurative sculptural pieces have strengths in the technical execution, but I would have liked to see the narratives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abstract sculptures

 

 

 

 

 

 

Among the abstract pieces I liked the “Undertow” best, because it used coiled construction tho form something hollow, but undulating in shape.

 

Tea pots

 

 

The teapot on the left was intensively carved on the surface.  The glazing of tea set on the right had nice bluish and reddish hues.

 

Dishes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The casserole dishes had a translucent glaze that I show on the detail.  The plate on the right shows the layered white and red/brown clay at work.

 

Portraits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The portraits that were the most striking were the Windingo/Wendingo pieces.   The wendigo is a supernatural creature in the cutlure of several North Easter Native tribes.  The creature eats other humans, but is never full, and so it’s depicted as an emaciated creature.