Simple Grace
September 16, 2016
Inspirational Art, The Polymer Arts magazine news
When putting together the Simplicity article, we contemplated showing a few non-polymer pieces because there are just so many beautiful designs in other materials that could be inspirational to polymer artists but alas, there was only so much room and much to discuss.
Alice Ballard was a top pick on my list for this because her work shows simplicity that somehow doesn’t appear simple. These ceramic leaves and pod are not super minimalistic but the white center piece is definitely about the essence of the form and image. The colored leaves feel like they are the color and impression of the center piece, taken out and set aside, as if saying the form is first and the color is secondary. It’s the pod set in the middle that brings both a focus to the trio and a bit of mystery. Why is it there? This is not a common arrangement, not in nature, but it does feel natural. For all that this is minimal in form and color, there is a lot to explore.
I find the last statement to be true of the best of simplified design and Alice’s work in particular. Grab a cup of something comforting and take some time out for a visual stroll through her beautiful gallery of work on her website.
Inspirational Challenge of the Day: Create in white alone. Focus on the essence of some object or image that catches your eye and think about the form before creating it. What can you remove aside from color and still make it recognizable? After you decide that, what else can you do without? Ask this until you have in your mind that essential form of it. Then create that in clay.
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Outside Inspiration: Ceramic Pods for Polymer
February 15, 2013
Inspirational Art
We have a bit of a penchant for pods in polymer. I think it’s actually a clay thing, be it polymer, pmc or ceramics. Alice Ballard, a ceramicist from Greenville, North Carolina has explored pods every which way and a bit beyond. Here is a sample of pods forms and treatments that would be wonderful to see in polymer as well.
Alice says her fascination comes out of the metamorphosis we see in nature’s forms as it changes from season to season. She sees it as “a universal world in which differing life forms share similar qualities.” Which makes sense as you look at her body of work. Here are other forms of hers I could see being beautifully translated into polymer.
Pods in the studio this weekend anyone?
I found Alice Ballard and these collage images on the Art Propelled blog written by South Africa’s Robyn Gordon.
When putting together the Simplicity article, we contemplated showing a few non-polymer pieces because there are just so many beautiful designs in other materials that could be inspirational to polymer artists but alas, there was only so much room and much to discuss.
Alice Ballard was a top pick on my list for this because her work shows simplicity that somehow doesn’t appear simple. These ceramic leaves and pod are not super minimalistic but the white center piece is definitely about the essence of the form and image. The colored leaves feel like they are the color and impression of the center piece, taken out and set aside, as if saying the form is first and the color is secondary. It’s the pod set in the middle that brings both a focus to the trio and a bit of mystery. Why is it there? This is not a common arrangement, not in nature, but it does feel natural. For all that this is minimal in form and color, there is a lot to explore.
I find the last statement to be true of the best of simplified design and Alice’s work in particular. Grab a cup of something comforting and take some time out for a visual stroll through her beautiful gallery of work on her website.
Inspirational Challenge of the Day: Create in white alone. Focus on the essence of some object or image that catches your eye and think about the form before creating it. What can you remove aside from color and still make it recognizable? After you decide that, what else can you do without? Ask this until you have in your mind that essential form of it. Then create that in clay.
_________________________________________
Like this blog? Lend your support with a purchase of The Polymer Arts magazine and visit our partners.
_________________________________________
Read MoreWe have a bit of a penchant for pods in polymer. I think it’s actually a clay thing, be it polymer, pmc or ceramics. Alice Ballard, a ceramicist from Greenville, North Carolina has explored pods every which way and a bit beyond. Here is a sample of pods forms and treatments that would be wonderful to see in polymer as well.
Alice says her fascination comes out of the metamorphosis we see in nature’s forms as it changes from season to season. She sees it as “a universal world in which differing life forms share similar qualities.” Which makes sense as you look at her body of work. Here are other forms of hers I could see being beautifully translated into polymer.
Pods in the studio this weekend anyone?
I found Alice Ballard and these collage images on the Art Propelled blog written by South Africa’s Robyn Gordon.
Read More