Baltimore Clayworks (BCW) will present three Winter exhibitions from January 8 through February 26, 2022. These offerings are free and open to the public and will kick off with an artist reception on Saturday, January 8, from 6 to 8pm.
Photos – Baltimore Clayworks © Eunkyung Han Teapot
Teapots IX: Steeped in Creativity & Craftsmanship, will showcase the exceptional range of artistry for this ancient vessel form. The exhibition was juried and curated by Jen Allen, a professional studio artist and ceramic educator. “I am honoured to be invited to jury this year’s Baltimore Clayworks Teapot exhibition!” said Jen Allen. “Tea is a daily part of my family life and we have a small collection of teapots that are used often: from English Breakfast tea in a brilliant, colourful Sarah Jaeger porcelain teapot, to Pu-erh served in a polished, traditional Yixing teapot. The range of pots one can create is nearly endless, an ancient art form that is both beautiful and utilitarian, giving it a unique and honoured place in the homes of billions of people.”
Mary Cloonan, BCW Curator of Exhibitions, said: “Teapots are evocative, they imply hearth and home, cozy days sipping hot elixirs poured from an elegant vessel. They are also a complex challenge for the artist, balancing form and function. Each element complements the other like a symphony of shape, volume, and ergonomics.”
Exhibiting Artists
Elka Adomowicz, Dyan Akkouche, Jen Allen, Kait Arndt, Osa Atoe, Posey Bacopoulos, Hayne Bayless, Anne Bowen, Samantha Breigel, Wes Brown, Timothy Carr, Horacio Casillas, Cynthia Deitch, Beverly Fetterman, Heidi Frank, Yoshi Fujii, Lisa Guiliani, Eunkyung Han, Jason Hess, Steve Hilton, Mike Jabbur, Catherine Joanny, Shika Joshi, Huey Hyuk Lee, Anne Maraviglia, Taylor Mezo, Michael Poness, Constance Rankin, David Smith, Amy Song, T.R. Steiner, and Mike Tavares, Leathia West and Jean Wrathal
BCW’s Solo gallery will feature an exhibition by Stephen Heywood, whose wood-fired functional wares are influenced by agricultural architecture and rustic signage. Nostalgia combined with sharp craftsmanship, the works serve as a touchstone for memories and meals.
Stephen Heywood art
“My work takes influence from things that are industrial, mechanical and manmade. I often reference architectural structures that have surrounded me throughout my life. These consist of barns, silos, factories and water towers as well as many other structures. Many of these buildings are used for containment and are in essence vessels of function. These buildings, which are often run down and abandoned show with their weathered exterior textures of flaking paint and rusted steel, a course of production and history. In my work, I look to their weathered exterior textures for inspiration and ideas on surface treatment. I often leave marks on the form as evidence of the working process. These subtle marks are then accentuated by the atmospheric firing processes of soda and wood and help to give my work the same sense of history and aged qualities that I look to for inspiration.”
The Community Arts Gallery will highlight artwork by CASA of Maryland workshop participants. Christina Marsh, Community Arts & Engagement Manager states, “We are excited to display the tiles painted by multi-generational community members, which will form the foundation for the commissioned and community chosen sculpture by nationally recognized ceramicist George Rodriguez.” The collaboration with CASA is supported by an award from the Gutierrez Memorial fund.
