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| Wave Vessel |
In planning for the upcoming Heal the Ocean Benefit & Concert that we are chairing in October, we have stumbled upon some beautiful new sources of art inspired by the sea. Jennifer McCurdy is one of those remarkable artisans. A potter since her teens, McCurdy, now 54, lives on what she calls the "magical island" of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, just off the coast of Boston. Her works in porcelain reflect the natural beauty of her seaside environment. She likes to "create soft and hard shadows, shape it, distort it, and test its limits."as quoted by her in the the current issue of Ceramic Review. The results are confounding, even to other ceramic artists. "People always ask me how I do it. Other artists ask me about the tools I use. I’m happy to share my ideas. By the time people become technically proficient enough to do this type of work they’ve developed their own style."
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| Net Bottle |
She is inspired, she says, by the patterns she sees in nature. "Pieces of coral, fish bones, anything that shows structure fascinates me." Each morning, as she has for years, McCurdy sets forth on a twenty-mile bicycle ride around the Island. "I’m inspired by the Vineyard landscape – the shape of shells and other natural objects," she explains. Time passes slowly in this environment. "We have to ferry everywhere so there’s no instant gratification." Living on what she calls "Island time," the serenity of her world affords her the patience and quiet needed for her exacting, delicate work.
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| Cut Wheat Vessel |
Surrounded by the sea, Jennifer McCurdy believes she is influenced unconsciously by light and the movement of light on the water. She also credits the Vineyard’s "wonderful community of creative people" for supporting and nurturing her endeavours.
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| Jungle Leaf Vessel |
On her website she shares the structural questions she has been working with for the past few years:
How thin can the high-fire porcelain be before it collapses in the fire? How much can it be cut away and still maintain structural integrity? How can the structural form be integrated with the visual, as in nature? How can the movement of the potter's wheel and the fire of the kiln be reflected in the finished piece, which is rock-hard and permanent?
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| Contour Vessel |
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| photo courtesy: Design Sponge |
See more of her work online or make it to one of these
two shows in November on the East Coast.
Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show
Philadelphia, PA November 11-14, 2010
http://www.pmacraftshow.org/
Washington Craft Show*
Washington, DC November 19-21, 2010
www.craftsamericashows.com/WASH_main.htm
