Gwendolyn Yoppolo Workshop



Some current work; Gwendolyn Yoppolo via the Ferrin Gallery




Gwen did a 'working workshop' at Ruby's this weekend - meaning we all got a bag of Babu to knock around.  Funny how porcelain can freak people out!

About Gwendolyn's work; I've found no picture to do her pieces any justice at all.  The details in her shapes and forms are amazing; and the glaze can only be experienced first hand - it has a velvety lusciousness that would convert anyone - except that she talked about how challenging the glazes are.   Her use of microcrystalline-glaze is as much a part of the overall result as the shape and form - a perfect example of a good marriage.  Her process is "GLaborious"; such care and indulgence invested in each piece down to the minutest details. 

The thing that resonated with me was the discussion of focus being on the inside of a piece.  She is very interested in the socio-relationship to the service of food; the process of gathering and the process of serving and the use of the vessel in the ritual of eating, as are all functional potters, I suppose.  Gwendolyn described is kind of like a micro-philosophy - the inner world relating to the outer form.  The discussion about her primarily focus in building each piece from the inside out was something I had not really heard in this weay before.  The end result isn't the driver.  Instead of simply jumping to the end; the finished "look" - building, creating, designing is a contemplative exercise to imagine the end from the inside out...

Wow, I donahue-d that eh?




Here she is demonstrating this:



Gwendolyn is currently at the Bray - she talked a lot about the fabulous opportunity to work exclusively in studio to spend a lot of concentrated time on one direction. 

What else do you do in Montana!?



And, here's my clunkier model...

 

It was a great workshop.  I got a lot out of it; I'd recommend attending one of her demo's if you have an opportunity.


6 comments:

  1. I really like your clunkier model. What a great workshop!

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  2. I would have loved to have been there too.

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  3. hey Guys - thanks FetishGhost - I secretly like it too. Kelly Lynn - I posted a piece of yours from DAVIS, not knowing it was yours of course didn't have your name listed; fixed that right up! I went for a visit to your blog and had a great time!! thanks for stopping by...

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  4. Thanks Linda and thank you for following my blog!

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  5. hey Kelly - I sent you and email! can you tell, I'm excited about your work...

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  6. Ugh... I'm so jealous... I totally forgot even that the workshop was this past weekend. I can't wait to hear more about it... Plus I love the handle on your version. Great shape!

    P.S. Thanks for finding out more about Kelly's work... I loved her piece in you CCACA wrap-up.

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