Outside Inspiration: Holey Ceramics, Batman
Moving away from polymer for your opinion today, I thought we’d look at a ceramicist because, for one, it’s another type of clay, so it should be easy to translate what you think of polymer into ceramics, and, two, holey ceramics is a little unusual and really, really cool.
Simon van der Ven returns again and again to these delicate ceramic structures, many with a lot more holes than you see here. What you think of the form? How about the combination of smoother leaves breaking into a very different kind of texture? Do you think this would have benefited from more color? Why or why not?
I think we will make this the last day of entering the drawing by commenting, and I’ll get you some fun holey and/or lacy techniques to consider for tomorrow. So, get your thoughts in today. We’ll get another drawing going soon, but thank you all for participating in this one!
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Love the holes! But…..the lower part doesn’t grab me at all. More colour? Maybe. Different shape? I think so. I guess the idea here was to have a total contrast against the organic top part, but because it’s so different the two parts don’t, to me, make a pleasing whole.
So, softer leaves with some movement and a little colour to emphasise the edges and veins, or lots of colour, echoing the interior green.
Wow this is pretty amazing. Not only are the holes clean, but there is ridge between the vertical drop of each set of holes. That must take quite a while to carve. The top section reminds me of waves. Carving the clay after its cured might work in polymer. Very inspirational.
Thanks for encouraging comments this week. All of the projects are very strong and organic. They show an excellent mastery of their respective mediums with a lot of features to explore and draw you in.
This particular piece does very well (in my opinion) with the monochrome color scheme as it really offsets the interior color without overwhelming it.
I look forward to more such exploring in the future.
Have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving holiday.
Anita Buckowing
What a beautiful piece! I love everything about it, the form, the two types of texture and the subdued colors. I think this would work well in vivid tones, too, black and gray with a red underside. I love how you can see the underside color through the holes and opening. Very elegant piece.
How beautiful. I think it’s perfect as it is, no need for colour, as it has a purity that I think could be lost if given a stronger hue. I love the transition from cool, smooth and yet looking so tactile petals to the lacy texture above. It almost gives me a feeling that the petals have opened to release some essence or energy or like some funghi, soft clouds of spores ready to drift away on the breeze. Quite delightful.
This is truly beautiful. A lovely study in textures. The rich color on the inside complements the design perfectly without distracting from the exterior focus on texture. The change in colors from the matte leaves to the very subtle warm gloss of the “bubbles” is a perfect way to transition and bring your eyes up the piece. Adding more color would not enhance the design. I especially like that the top edge is left lacy and not with a hard finish line. Beautifully done.
I don’t think that this piece works as a whole. The two elements, the stark white leaves and the off white lacy structure, seem too incongruous. Each element is beautifully crafted but don’t work together. I think it might have been better with the leaves a different color.
That is stunning. Thank you so much for sharing it!
It is gorgeous just as it is!
This is absolutely lovely. I think the amount of color is wonderful. The texture is to die for. Pulls the eye in and keeps you interested.
This piece reminds me of the textural bubbles in a bar af aero wrapped in smooth milky chocolate. The colour palette is wonderfully subtle with a slight variance in the two creamy outer shades contrasted with light and shade from the internal green colour playing through the holes
I love the elegance of this form the petals enclosing the upper structure of honeycomb holes gives a sense of light airyness, the petals have movement and seem to gently sway, probably the angle the photo was taken at the colours of two shades of cream work beautifully with the deep green inside.
This is a wonderful piece like it is. Very airy feel to it…maybe a soft color in the leafs.