Yesterday a storm swiftly blew through the Hudson Valley, leaving us without internet and phone service and this morning, finding an internet connection proved to be a little trickier than expected. After a couple of false starts, I meandered across the river and down the road to write today’s post. I must really love you. Yup. I do.

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[private_archives]Judit Varga prefers a low tech approach to clay, using a minimum of tools. “Low tech is satisfying” she says, “It’s just me and the clay with a minimum between us.” Varga, who grew up in Hungary where she completed an MFA in Ceramics, immigrated to the United States shortly after graduation and put her art aside while her children were small.

What is it about circles, squares and knots that is so satisfying? Varga’s interpretation feels rustic and sophisticated at the same time, her choice of colors soothing – I want to crawl inside of Cocoon, and Inside Out? It is calling me…inside out…mmmm.

Connected Circles, semi-porcelain, 14x14x9

Twisted Lines #3, stoneware, porcelain, 18x16x6

Inside Out, semi-porcelain, 18x13x13

Blue Circles #9, semi-porcelain, 18x18x4

Blue Cocoon, semi-porcelain, 10x7x7

“I work in a quiet solitude in my small basement studio and find this peaceful loneliness a perfect stage for my play with clay. In the silence sometimes there is a moment of harmony when the clay and I understand each other perfectly, we know exactly what the other one wants to do. Those are the moments that I long for and this longing draws me back to the studio to open up a new bag of clay and start again.” Judit Varga

Read an article about the artist in Home & Design

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“I am interested in the way that human beings relate to one another. I explore human relationships and interactions by stripping the figure of details that would lead to a specific identity. My figures are connected through anonymity and the very nature of existence.” Cassie Ryalls

Never Far From You, coil built earthenware

Story, coil built clay with oxides and paper

Gone, Together, coil built clay with slip, glaze and oxides

Figurative ceramic sculptures from North Carolina’s Cassie Ryall address human relationships…the good, the bad and the ugly.

I Stopped to Think and Feel, coil built clay with slip, glaze and oxides

Light and Truth, low fire ceramics

“Humans constantly seek to uniquely identify themselves in every way they can: through myspace.com, bumper stickers, t-shirts, tattoos, ring tones, etc. In our search for individuality, there is still a desire to belong and connect; a fight for meaningful existence in a crowded world.” Cassie Ryalls

More about Ryalls at Curve Gallery
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Look closely at these whimsical busts by sculptor and book artist Alice Simpson. She’s got a grand sense of humor but the art is seriously good.  Each of these new sculptures are self portraits of the artist inspired by historical figures, history or great works of art.

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The Great Wave, partially glazed stoneware, 9″ x 6″ x 5″

Inspired by the print, The Great Wave Off Kanagawa, by Kastushika Hokusai

Sarah Palin

In 2007 I wrote about Simpson’s Abundant Beauty collection of clay sculpture portraits. She just keeps getting better. You can find her whole portfolio – which includes figurative clay sculptures that range from operatic characters to ballroom and tango dancers in addition to her handcrafted artist books – on her website.

Marie Antoinette, partially glazed stoneware, 11″ x 6″ x 6″

“Imagining myself, as the whim touches my imagination…from history, fantasy, art and style.” Alice Simpson

Oh, what a wonderful imagination – now I want to see Simpson make a self portrait for her Hip Hop series – figures from the New York Hip Hop scene.
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