The audio file for this article was produced by the Ceramic Arts Network staff and not read by the author.
Ceramics Monthly: How do you develop the forms or surfaces that are prevalent in your work?
Liz Mazurek: Negative spaces play a huge role in how I develop forms. I often look at the inner space of handles and use that shape to parallel the swell of the belly or the spout. Rotating a piece as I work reveals how each element will
flow into the next. A smooth joint between the volume of the vessel and the handle and spout creates a seamless composition. Once the work is ready for glazing, I assess the shape of the piece and sprinkle soda ash. This glass-like addition creates
colorful drips on the areas of the piece that I know will run during the firing process to accentuate its curves.
CM: What role do you think makers play within today’s culture? How do you think you contribute?
LM: I believe our work is a melting pot of techniques and surfaces we see others using, which is an ever-expanding library. The role we play as makers is equal to the role we can play as teachers, utilizing our discoveries as a tool to
help others visualize their ideas, as well as expand our own. By creating work that incorporates techniques I have learned from my research, I encourage those working in clay and other mediums to relate to these elements and find further relationships
to their work. Sharing my making process can inspire others to utilize techniques they may not have otherwise considered trying before.
CM: How do you approach incorporating experimentation into your studio practice?
LM: A pitcher can be a thousand pitchers that are all uniquely different in shape, volume, style, texture, and color. Realizing this was one of the most exciting revelations as a maker, opening up a world of experimentation. By focusing
on the function of the form, I am able to create a variety of body shapes and volumes that require numerous handle and spout sizes and placements. For instance, placing a handle that loops over the entire piece versus directly on one side, or an elegant
narrow spout that tapers to a small opening versus a whimsical, wide spout that allows liquid to flow quickly. The addition of colorants and soda ash during the glazing process offers an element of surprise, revealing how no two forms can truly be
identical. The possibilities are limitless.
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The audio file for this article was produced by the Ceramic Arts Network staff and not read by the author.
Ceramics Monthly: How do you develop the forms or surfaces that are prevalent in your work?
Liz Mazurek: Negative spaces play a huge role in how I develop forms. I often look at the inner space of handles and use that shape to parallel the swell of the belly or the spout. Rotating a piece as I work reveals how each element will flow into the next. A smooth joint between the volume of the vessel and the handle and spout creates a seamless composition. Once the work is ready for glazing, I assess the shape of the piece and sprinkle soda ash. This glass-like addition creates colorful drips on the areas of the piece that I know will run during the firing process to accentuate its curves.
CM: What role do you think makers play within today’s culture? How do you think you contribute?
LM: I believe our work is a melting pot of techniques and surfaces we see others using, which is an ever-expanding library. The role we play as makers is equal to the role we can play as teachers, utilizing our discoveries as a tool to help others visualize their ideas, as well as expand our own. By creating work that incorporates techniques I have learned from my research, I encourage those working in clay and other mediums to relate to these elements and find further relationships to their work. Sharing my making process can inspire others to utilize techniques they may not have otherwise considered trying before.
CM: How do you approach incorporating experimentation into your studio practice?
LM: A pitcher can be a thousand pitchers that are all uniquely different in shape, volume, style, texture, and color. Realizing this was one of the most exciting revelations as a maker, opening up a world of experimentation. By focusing on the function of the form, I am able to create a variety of body shapes and volumes that require numerous handle and spout sizes and placements. For instance, placing a handle that loops over the entire piece versus directly on one side, or an elegant narrow spout that tapers to a small opening versus a whimsical, wide spout that allows liquid to flow quickly. The addition of colorants and soda ash during the glazing process offers an element of surprise, revealing how no two forms can truly be identical. The possibilities are limitless.
Learn more at lizpotz.com.
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