Ceramics Show
New Work by Brogden, Katz, Pardue, Theom, Poness, and Riddle
Join us for a Ceramics Show in The Gallery from April 5 – April 30, 2024 featuring new work by Sally Brogden (Tennessee), Lori Katz (Washington, DC), Eric Pardue (West Virginia), Jennifer Theom (Georgia), and introducing Michael Poness (Maryland) and Denise Riddle (North Carolina).
About the Artists
SALLY BROGDEN
Sally studied at the University of Michigan and the New York State College of Ceramics. Her work has been exhibited throughout the U.S. and abroad. Sally was one of fifty artists selected for the exhibition “Taking Measure: American Ceramic Art at the New Millennium”, curated for the world ceramics conference in Yeoju, Korea. Sally has been the recipient of numerous grants and has been an artist in residence at the Ceramic Center Berlin and the Archie Bray Foundation where she now serves on the Board of Directors. Her work has been included in numerous books and catalogs including: Ceramics: A Potter’s Handbook, The Craft and Art of Clay, A Ceramic Continuum: Fifty Years of the Archie Bray Influence, Taking Measure: American Ceramic Art at the New Millennium and 500 Ceramic Sculptures.
Recent exhibitions include:
Islip Art Museum, East Islip, NY; Holter Museum, Helena, MT; Ceramic Center Berlin, Germany; Santa Fe Clay, Santa Fe, NM; Vertigo Gallery, Denver; Lewis and Clark College, Portland, OR; Maryland Arts Council, Baltimore, MD; Phillips Museum of Art, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, PA; Belger Art District, Kansas City, MO and the Ichon World Ceramic Center, Kyonggii Province, Korea.
LORI KATZ
Lori Katz is a studio artist working in clay and mixed-media painting. She is known for the striking strength and simplicity of her work. Her current body of work is an exploration of surface and texture.
Lori’s work has been included in definitive shows and art fairs in the US, Europe and Asia. Her pieces are included in the permanent collection of the US Embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan, the Racine Art Museum, the IBM Corporation, Amazon Web Services, New York Presbyterian Hospital and in numerous private homes and collections.
Lori’s work can be seen on television and in movies; most recently in Succession, Inventing Anna and Maggie’s Plan.
Lori maintains a studio at the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA.
“I am intrigued by contrast, the play of dark against light, the pull of empty space against the inclination to fill it up, the placement of line and shape, balance. Several years ago, I began working almost exclusively in a palette of black and white in a conscious effort to simplify process and design. Color has found its way back in and my work continues to evolve. And I have learned that in the end, process is never simple and good design is always balanced and strong.”
ERIC PARDUE
Eric Pardue is an artist based in Milton, WV. After receiving a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts from Alfred University in Alfred, NY, Eric went on to serve a year’s residency at Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts in Maine and a year’s apprenticeship with New York based ceramic artist, Jeff Shapiro. Returning to his home state, Mr. Pardue set up a studio where he has pursued various ideas in clay and currently works in low fire earthenware with applied imagery. These images, covering a broad range of topics, serve to tell stories that share interests both specific to the maker and, hopefully, that engage the viewer to develop their own narratives from the pieces.
JENNIFER THEOM
Jenifer is a multifaceted creator, encompassing roles as a maker, collector, and storyteller, specializing in pottery, sculpture, and assemblage. Their work delves into the intricate connections between individuals and their surroundings, a reflection of personal experiences, thoughts, and emotional responses to life’s circumstances. Texture captivates them, particularly the common urban and environmental textures often overlooked in daily routines – manhole covers, children’s shoe soles, car tire treads, tree bark, and industrial machinery grunge. These elements serve as the narrative palette, recounting the artist’s journey and aspirations, with a mission to inspire connection, evoke memories, and prompt contemplation in our fast-paced world.
Crafted meticulously from high-fire stoneware clay, the artist’s pieces undergo multiple kiln firings, featuring slips, stains, and glazes on textured surfaces. A strategic transition from creating large clay and metal sculptural pieces to a wall-centric body of work unfolded. The artist embraced a 3-D approach, manifested in the desire to create substantial, impactful art. By permanently affixing 16-gauge steel wires to each ceramic piece and installing them at varying distances from the wall, the artist achieves a fusion of depth and space in their wall installations. Through intentional use of repetition, light, shadows, and spatial arrangements, the artist’s designs introduce movement into the artwork, effectively blurring the boundaries between 2-D and 3-D. The challenge and creative possibilities within the medium, though defined, are boundless and fueled solely by the artist’s imagination.
Jenifer’s roots lie in the North Georgia Mountains, growing up on a farm surrounded by the harmonious blend of rusty barbed wire and red clay. Armed with a BFA in Ceramics from Georgia Southern University, Jenifer embarked on a career over two decades ago, showcasing her work on the fine art show circuit. An entrepreneur, she has owned ceramic studios and served as an educator, offering classes, workshops, and artist residencies in Atlanta, Richmond VA, and Chicago.
Jenifer traverses the country, exhibiting at esteemed juried arts festivals, including the Coconut Grove Arts Festival (Miami, FL), Ann Arbor Street Fair-the Original (Ann Arbor, MI), Cherry Creek Arts Festival (Denver, CO), and St. Louis Art Festival (St. Louis, MO), among others. Recently returning to her hometown in Rome, GA, she shares her studio with four cats, two dogs, and the occasional visit from her three children.
MICHAEL PONESS
Award winning architect, Michael Poness draws on many sources of inspiration in his pottery. Ranging from the obscure, like ancient war machines, to the familiar, like the paintings of Jasper Johns and Paul Klee, these sources look outside the discipline of pottery. Vessels typically begin as wheel thrown forms that are then altered to produce nontraditional pottery. Mr. Poness works out of the Glen Echo Pottery, Glen Echo, Maryland.
DENISE RIDDLE
Denise Riddle is a painter, clay sculptor and a designer. There is a spiritual element present in all that Denise creates. Her work is heavily influenced by nature and indigenous cultures. The highly textured and brilliantly colored work possesses whimsical and industrial components.
