Photos and reporting by Robert Kokenyesi, Ceramic Artist, Beachfront Pottery, Godfrey, IL 62035, USA

The location

Between August 5 and September 3, 2016, the art exhibit titled “Shapes of Influence, Contemporary Ceramics” took place in the  M.G. Nelson Family Gallery of the Springfield Art Association.  The gallery is built right next to the famous Edwards Place, a 19th century building that housed many generations of the Edwards family.

Platters

 

Lauren’s primary interest is to create objects of every day use that bring us beauty and joy.  Her inspiration is Japanese lacquer ware.  She uses the background oft he porcelain form to create the pattern which is fall leaves on this piece.

The piece is about 14-16 inches in diameter.

 

 

 

 

Gary was a communication specialist before he started working with clay.  He wants audiences to say “I’ve never seen anything like that”.  He hoped that his pieces provide a reason to stop and notice how different it feels, and to discover a sense of humanity.

This piece is 19 inches in diameter.

 

 

 

Other pieces

 

John’s current work is about rejecting the binaries, such as hand-made vs mass-produced, masculine vs feminine, functioning vs non-functioning.  He states that he finds plenty of fertile ground in the middle ground between those extremes.  He believes that by making domestic objects that serve an obvious purpose opens the way for more conceptual and challenging principles to enter the observer personal space.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christine is a retired art teacher and illustrator who does pottery, painting and drawings.  On this vase she used white and brown stoneware.  She is drawn to create pieces that replicate nature’s textures, patterns, and forms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With his “Re-collection” series Lauren is showing her interpretation of the transformation of still life  by invoking parallels in ceramics and every day representation. She believes that domestic objects collect familial and cultural memories.