The audio file for this article was produced by the Ceramic Arts Network staff and not read by the author.
Ceramics Monthly: Who is your ideal audience?
Anna Kruse: My ideal audience are those who have a willingness and openness to engage with the work. Much of what I make is driven by a balance of reverie and tension, communication, and interactions with our surroundings. I consider
the way objects have a presence and command space. The work is often created at a larger scale, one that is bodily and ideally, those who encounter the work feel compelled to move around the piece as if being confronted with another being.
1 Anna Kruse's Find a love that will make you, 3 ft. 5 in. (1 m) in height, coil-built mid-range sculpture body, glaze, fired to cone 02, 2024.
CM: How do you develop the forms or surfaces that are prevalent in your work?
AK: I use a variety of methodologies to develop my forms and surfaces. Currently, I have been looking through a book Parallel Botany by Leo Lionni, which is a fantastical world of fictional plants, and another book called On the Necessity of Gardening by
Maria Barnas. I also look to Hieronymus Bosch, specifically his fountain forms and moments in his paintings where bodies are intersecting fruits.
What I do the most is take walks with my pup and try to remain as open and observant as possible. I often collect plant bits or take photos of moments that I find exciting (an unfurling or something mid bloom) and take these back to the studio. I am not
attempting to recreate but abstracting, deconstructing, and interpreting these sources.
The textured surface is often a product of the build, a record of touch and time. Color has always been a challenge for me because I find it to be rather intimidating. It holds such power in transforming the piece, so I often start with a layer of an
iron-heavy glaze. This helps unify and tone down other colors that I layer onto the work. Recently, I have been enjoying being a lot looser with the application, allowing the surface to really build up. I tend to stray away from high gloss unless
I am trying to highlight a form or have light bounce off something more concealed. I love that form and surface are an ongoing investigation. I don’t make the same structure twice, or the same surface; there are always tweaks and variations
and that keeps my studio a place of discovery and excitement.
2 Anna Kruse's I was yours for a time, 3 ft. 8 in. (1.1 m) in height, coil-built mid-range sculpture body, glaze, fired to cone 02, 2024.
CM: How do you stay engaged with the field of contemporary ceramics?
AK: When I initially considered my answer to this question, I immediately gravitated toward the ways I stay engaged for the benefit of my students. I am consistently working to compile references for them, organize slides, and be prepared
to provide guidance. I am regularly looking at who is being added to Artaxis, sites such as Ceramics Now, and Instagram. Another strategy that helps me stay engaged in the field is looking at exhibitions happening in major cities or through
various galleries. Participating in residencies or going to the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) is another great way to get exposed to new artists. Additionally, having colleagues and friends in the field provides such a
wealth of knowledge; oftentimes I hear about exciting work from them, and I am always grateful to have that community.
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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: Who is your ideal audience?
Anna Kruse: My ideal audience are those who have a willingness and openness to engage with the work. Much of what I make is driven by a balance of reverie and tension, communication, and interactions with our surroundings. I consider the way objects have a presence and command space. The work is often created at a larger scale, one that is bodily and ideally, those who encounter the work feel compelled to move around the piece as if being confronted with another being.
CM: How do you develop the forms or surfaces that are prevalent in your work?
AK: I use a variety of methodologies to develop my forms and surfaces. Currently, I have been looking through a book Parallel Botany by Leo Lionni, which is a fantastical world of fictional plants, and another book called On the Necessity of Gardening by Maria Barnas. I also look to Hieronymus Bosch, specifically his fountain forms and moments in his paintings where bodies are intersecting fruits.
What I do the most is take walks with my pup and try to remain as open and observant as possible. I often collect plant bits or take photos of moments that I find exciting (an unfurling or something mid bloom) and take these back to the studio. I am not attempting to recreate but abstracting, deconstructing, and interpreting these sources.
The textured surface is often a product of the build, a record of touch and time. Color has always been a challenge for me because I find it to be rather intimidating. It holds such power in transforming the piece, so I often start with a layer of an iron-heavy glaze. This helps unify and tone down other colors that I layer onto the work. Recently, I have been enjoying being a lot looser with the application, allowing the surface to really build up. I tend to stray away from high gloss unless I am trying to highlight a form or have light bounce off something more concealed. I love that form and surface are an ongoing investigation. I don’t make the same structure twice, or the same surface; there are always tweaks and variations and that keeps my studio a place of discovery and excitement.
CM: How do you stay engaged with the field of contemporary ceramics?
AK: When I initially considered my answer to this question, I immediately gravitated toward the ways I stay engaged for the benefit of my students. I am consistently working to compile references for them, organize slides, and be prepared to provide guidance. I am regularly looking at who is being added to Artaxis, sites such as Ceramics Now, and Instagram. Another strategy that helps me stay engaged in the field is looking at exhibitions happening in major cities or through various galleries. Participating in residencies or going to the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) is another great way to get exposed to new artists. Additionally, having colleagues and friends in the field provides such a wealth of knowledge; oftentimes I hear about exciting work from them, and I am always grateful to have that community.
Learn more at www.annakruse.com.
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