FOR THE BIRDS
Exhibition showcases results from ceramics mentorships
Naomi Frohlich loved what she was doing. But she wanted more.
“I love working with raw clay, the feel of it on my fingers,” she says. “I also love the fact I have to use both hands to build and manipulate clay.”
The Hamilton artist has been working with clay for 15 years. She has developed her own style, hand-building animal, bird and fish sculptures, tiles and masks.
But last year she and five other mid-career clay artists embarked on a year’s mentorship with Mary Philpott, a well-established ceramist based in Stratford.
“The mentorship consisted of the group meeting with Mary about eight times during the year,” Frohlich tells me. “Mary gave professional advice on types of clays, glazes and firing methods as well as advice on photography for our pieces, and writing show proposals for galleries.”
Work created from this exchange is on show in “Scratching the Surface,” an exhibition at Teresa Seaton Studio and Gallery in Burlington. Frohlich shares the space with Cathy Taylor, Katherine Moffat, Adriana Romkes, Brendan Wilson and Grazyna Ziolkowski.
Frohlich’s subjects are similar to Philpott’s in that both make animal and bird sculptures.
Many of Frohlich’s animals are those found on the farm, like “Rooster” and “Hen” in naturalistic poses. The rooster, for instance, raises its head and looks ready to crow.
“I use photos of real chickens to gain ideas about their gestures, attitudes and head positions,” Frohlich says.
Frohlich is not, however, out to imitate nature entirely. Her rooster looks solid and chunky, its head topped with a glossy red comb and wattle, a bright yellow beak and black dots for the eyes.
She simplifies the body by reducing some parts and emphasizing others. The lower body is smooth and white. The upper body is made from curved, feathery black pieces. Each piece has a smooth surface, but Frohlich layers and overlaps them to create bulk and texture.
“I usually begin my work on bigger pieces like the Hen and Rooster by building some small maquettes, experimenting with different poses,” Frohlich explains.
“I also use small maquettes to experiment with different glazes. Once I have a good idea of what I want, I build a loose paper armature and roll out slabs to drape over it.
“I use a loose armature to allow myself to change the direction of the piece if the slab is moving nicely in a direction that is somewhat different from the maquettes it is based on.”
The hen is similarly simplified. The word cute might easily work with this gallinaceous couple.
“I think there is room for cute in the art world,” Frohlich says. “I don't really mind when someone calls them cute or whimsical.”
In “This Side of Cootes Paradise,” Frohlich offers a minimalist landscape. Vegetation grows from a strip of brown earth. A tiny red-winged blackbird perches on a slender green stem.
Birds also feature on tiles made by Taylor. Her scenes are succinct. On one tile she’s carved a bird in low relief and positioned it between two berry-laden branches. One branch is behind the bird, the other in front.
Other equally satisfying pieces include Romkes’ big white owl in flight. A head by Moffat boasts facial features comprising lines of text. Wilson makes teapots and Ziolkowski hand-builds paperclay bowls and baskets.
Regina Haggo, art historian, public speaker, curator, YouTube video maker and former professor at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, teaches at the Dundas Valley School of Art. dhaggo@the spec.com Special to The Hamilton Spectator