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Thursday, October 20, 2011

 American Ceramics: Voulkos, Reitz, Soldner. 


Influenced by the Abstract Expressionist Movement, Peter Voulkos (19924-2002),  Paul Soldner (1921-2011), and Don Reitz, revolutionized the art of American Ceramics. 




Don Reitz

Don Reitz is one of the most important and influential ceramic artists of the 20th century and one of the most important living ceramist today. Born in 1929, he was trained at Alfred University in the early 1960s.  He is represented in numerous museum collections. Click here to see his work at the Gallery.

 Reitz has pursued a life-long investigation of salt and wood firing preserving the energy and freshness of his artistic marks and gestures. Reitz is credited with almost single-handedly reviving the technique of salt firing, and through long experimentation developed a range of colors and surface effects previously unknown.  His passionate approach to salt and wood firing has been widely influential over the past fifty years.  


Here are some images Reitz sent us of him making beautiful work in his studio!













Paul Soldner:


Paul Soldner has made numerous invaluable contributions to the field of ceramics, including developing what has been come to be known as "American Raku", and a technique known as "low-temperature salt firing". His involvement with raku, for which he is now internationally known, came by chance.


  Soldner in the Gallery:




Paul Soldner
Ceramic Raku Platter 
19"w x 4"h

Click here to see Soldner's work. 


Peter Voulkos:

Voulkos started his career making large vessels until he encountered the work of Abstract Expressionist painters.  They inspired him to reinvent ceramics as he knew it, a decision that yielded a lifetime of monumental and bold sculpture that had tremendous influence on the field of ceramic art worldwide.





Voulkos and Reitz currently have work in The Arvada Center: Uncommon Ground, Impact and Influence. The show will be up until November 13th! 


Thank you for taking the time to read our blog! Please leave us a comment :) 

4 comments:

  1. Are Reitz's pieces finished or in-progress in those pictures?

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  2. Nice to see images of Don Reitz in his studio! I also appreciate the information about the ceramic artists represented by the gallery.

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  3. When are these exhibits being shown?

    xx

    Erin @ http://www.trufflesnruffles.com/

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  4. Parker, they are in progress in the photos!
    Thank you Megan, it is very interesting to see artists in work.
    Erin, Reitz and Voulkos currently have work at the Arvada Center and the Soldner piece is currently in the gallery.

    Thank you for your comments!
    Lisa

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