Dangerous Cliffs, building technique from clay sheets, firing in a wood-fired soda kiln, material: stoneware, dimensions: 45 x 36 x 10cm, unsigned, 2020, the sculpture consists of two elements
ARTIST ABOUT THE SCULPTURE:
The ceramic sculptures "Dangerous Cliffs" and "Dark Waters" belong to a series of works initiated during my stay in Denmark, entitled. "Cold Horizon". Most of the works in the "Cold Horizon" series were made in porcelain and stoneware and then fired in a wood fired soda kiln. They are meant to resemble cold, imaginary mountains, glaciers and landscapes, as well as cliffs and rock fragments found on the coast. There is so little left of these pristine, unaltered landscapes in the world. An important part of this series is the texture inspired by the surface of water - the sea, lakes and ocean, looking different at different times of day and seasons. Shimmering in the morning sunlight, dark in the cold and gloomy winter months. Ironically, the "Cold Horizon" landscapes were fired at the highest possible temperature of 1350°C. Unglazed ceramics are fired in a kiln for 17-30h depending on the size of the kiln.
The glaze on the works is created by spraying soda (sodium carbonate) into the kiln when the kiln reaches a minimum temperature of 1280°C.
BIO ARTISTS:
Katarzyna Miściur born in 1987 in Lidzbark Warmiński. In 2007 she graduated from Secondary Art School in Olsztyn.
Katarzyna is a graduate of Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Fine Arts in Wroclaw. In 2012 she received her Master of Arts degree in the Artistic Ceramics Design Studio, under the direction of Prof. Grażyna Plocica and in the Applied Ceramics Design Studio under the direction of Prof. Lidia Kupczynska-Jankowiak. In 2016 she defended her master's degree in the field of Restoration and Reconstruction of Ceramics and Glass in the Studio of Conservation and Restoration of Ceramics, led by Dr. Maria Gąsior.
In 2010 she studied art at the University of Porto, Portugal.
As of July 2019, she is working as Ceramics Studio Manager at Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research Center, Denmark.
Growing up on her parents' farm, surrounded by hills, fields and forests, has influenced her life and art through a deep, special connection with nature. Significantly, Catherine believes that ceramic material is most connected to nature.
Her favorite technique is building with sheets of clay. Using flakes as thin as possible, she makes her pieces incredibly light and delicate - but not brittle. She loves structure and texture - on closer inspection, you can see the incredibly subtle details in her work. She draws inspiration from nature by analyzing the surroundings she encounters during her travels and walks.
Her new series of works entitled. Her new series of works titled "Cold Horizon" was inspired by the Danish landscapes, deeply connected to water, beach, coastal clay, cliff and water surface textures and cold Scandinavian aura.
The second major series of work Catherine has created is the "Urban Tissue" series which begins with her trip to Portugal. "Urban Tissue" is a response to the problems of human impact on the environment.
