2022 Emerging Artist: Brandon Christy Brandon Christy

Appears in the May 2022 issue of Ceramics Monthly.

Brandon Christy, Berea, Kentucky

Ceramics Monthly: What techniques do you use to make your work and why? 

Brandon Christy: Most of my work is wheel-thrown pots that are meant to be functional with pleasing, classic forms. I use red stoneware fired to cone 6 in oxidation. 

The wheel-thrown forms serve as unique canvases for decoration of seasonal landscapes or nature-scene illustrations. As an avid nature lover, I usually like to draw or explore images that I see on a daily basis. This means my imagery changes with the four seasons, but the decoration techniques are similar. 

In college, I was never a very good painter, but loved the combination of color and texture from thick layers of paint. So, I approach my glaze decoration process like a painter, using glazes instead of paint. I have used underglazes and slips in the past, in an attempt to draw on my pots, but I was never happy with the finished piece. Now I use multiple layers of glazes that are dipped, poured, painted, and/or sprayed, as well as wax resist to build up color and surface depth. In certain areas, I use an X-Acto knife on semi-dry glazes. This sgraffito-style carving reveals the underlying base glaze that contrasts with the brightly colored glaze on top to create an organic line quality that I am looking for.  

My pots are glaze fired only once, and during the firing, the glazes move and distort, creating a slightly abstract image, but with a luminosity that I have only been able to achieve with glazes. One of the driving forces behind my decoration techniques is the challenge of seeing controlled movement of the glazes during firing.

CM: Who is your ideal audience?

BC: My inspiration comes from my local surroundings in the hills of Kentucky as well as from trips into the American West, so I think my audience consists of people who love nature as well as artistic expression. I want someone who will use and appreciate my pots not only for their beauty, but also for the technical side of how the pots were made and decorated. Personally, as an artist, I look for approval of my work from other potters and artists as validation to continue exploring and trying new things. From a practical-use standpoint, I try to make a comfortable pot to use that also inspires people with a love of art and nature on a daily basis. I want someone who uses my mugs, for example, not only to like the way it fits into their hand but also to appreciate that the decoration they have is a unique artistic creation.

Find @barkcamppottery on Instagram to learn more.