We’ve all been there at some point in our lives – wondering if there is any real meaning to life. Ceramics artist Els Wenselaers created an unusual bunch of characters in the ‘Sisyphus Work’ collection to explore the question with a hint of humor.

Madame Odeur, ceramics, metal, rubber, glass

As Wenselaers explains, “they perform actions, although they realize that life is without meaning, but they stubbornly refuse to take the escape routes of death or faith. Spraying grass green, air exchange systems which are much too small to have any effect, machines that suck volatile odors, trying with mental control to move a vehicle…. again, and again, and again. Acceptance of the fundamental emptiness is the only thing that’s left.”

Brain Controlled Vehicle, ceramics, metal

The Grass Greener, ceramics, used materials

“My work is characterized by a reflection of contemporary society with a subtle humor and a tendency to idealize.”

Els Wenselaers’ website
Ceramics Now Magazine

In her 25 year dialogue with clay Barbara Glynn Prodaniuk has used wheel thrown and slab construction techniques to build ceramic sculptures that give us a glimpse into the artist’s imagination (Roller Derby Chicks – yes!).

Roller Derby Chicks

Quails

Prodaniuk credits an elementary school field trip as the spark that started it all. It was on that field trip that she watched a potter at work and tried to get the potter to let her do it.  Although she was unable to convince the artist to let her give it a try, she promised herself that someday she would find a way. That grade school spark lit a fire in college and she’s been working with clay ever since.  Her story is a good example of why it’s important to expose children to art.

Transformation, side 1

Transformation, side 2

What If?

bgprodaniuk.com

An undergraduate degree in Marine Biology, graduate degree in Electrical Engineering and a decades long career working in graphics computing come together seamlessly in Mark Goudy’s ceramic art.

After one of his jobs ended, he took an extended trip with his wife and while they traveled, realized that life was out of balance and that it was time to make some changes. “We realized we could live a lot more simply and do more of what we wanted, which was travel. And art. So we did it.” I like the way he thinks.

Although Goudy’s mother was a potter, he only took his first ceramics class five years ago and in 2010 received an emerging artist award.  Explaining his signature technique he says, “My approach is to combine ancient methods of stone-burnishing and earthenware firing with computer-aided shape design to produce talismans that fuse traditional and modern aesthetics. Surface markings are created by painting water-soluble metal salts on bisque-fired clay. These watercolors permeate the clay body, and become a permanent part of the surface when fired.”

Goudy means for each each vessel or pod to be held and then, when set on a flat surface, to gently rock, eventually coming to rest at their own natural balance point – the results are beautiful, restful, soothing.

After a twenty-year engineering career, working in the virtual world of computer chip design, I found the process of clay work to be a catharsis. The physical nature of handbuilding unique pieces from this plastic medium was immediately satisfying. Soon I was applying my analytical and problem-solving skills to the multivariate issues that surfaced in the clay studio, and exercising my right brain to construct shapes in a totally intuitive way.

Mark Goudy’s website

Great interviews with Goudy here and here