STATEMENT

I’m not sure where I got the courage to major in art (I was the only one and my family is in science). It was a small department offering only drawing and painting, but my professor suggested I might like ceramics. Like it? I Ioved it and worked in clay for over 22 years.

At Mills, where I received an MFA in 1970, I was exposed to the abstract expressionism of Peter Voulkos, raku pottery of Hal Riegger, and fiber sculpture of Ruth Asawa, none of which resonated with me. However, I heard the name Ron Nagle and when in 1973 he taught a class at UC Extension, I signed up. I understood his aesthetic, and his teaching and mentorship were critical to my development as an artist. In 1974 I exhibited a low fire piece in the California Ceramics and Glass show at the Oakland Museum and began teaching an evening pottery class at Chabot College in Hayward. Ron had told me about the job and suggested I apply.

I was experimenting with the wheel to get more sculptural forms when in 1978 I realized slip casting was the answer. At this time, contemporary studio artists frowned on slip casting; however, molds were the only way I could get the level of detail I wanted. I cast real fruits, vegetables, bamboo, and shells because their forms, contours, and texture inspired me. I formulated porcelain casting and decorating slips and fired to cone 10-11 in a gas kiln.

I called my work “functional sculpture” because though sculptural, pieces “had all the right parts.” Color was as important to me as form. I wrote: “Color expresses the form. I impart different emotions to a piece by the colors I choose and by the way I pick out different parts of the form to emphasize.” My color sense was inspired by Degas’ pastels, and by airbrushing I was able to get the look of pastels on my porcelain.

I wanted my work to say something beyond form and color. I always liked sets because of the interaction between the pieces. Most of my pieces were body related. Anthropomorphism was an important element as “a form comes alive for me when it resembles something else.” “I want people to respond to my work, whether they respond to my intent or have a personal interpretation.”

Function, or the potential of function, added an additional dimension to my work: memories. “Using a piece involves a direct interaction in the same way that I am directly involved in its creation. What happens in my studio is only half its life; the memories of how and when a piece was used and with whom are the other half.”

Since 2007 I have been taking photos with a digital camera and using the computer to make art. My work reflects my love of shape, detail, texture, color, and natural forms. 

Clay was a hard taskmaster. Something always needed attention. While I miss the third dimension, I appreciate the control I have over my time and how easy it is with prints to experiment, change direction, make revisions, and—it’s much cleaner.

Lynne Turner 2022