hidell brooks gallery is delighted to be representing the work of ceramic artist virginia scotchie. virginia is the area head of ceramics at the university of south carolina in columbia, sc. she holds a bfa in ceramics from unc-chapel hill and in 1985 completed her master of fine arts at alfred university in new york. we have always been drawn to her ceramic objects and spheres whether it was one alone mixed in on a coffee table or a large grouping installed on the wall. they are organic and vibrant. the tedious process of making them by hand followed by glazing and firing is not easy. the hard won results are visually stunning. they are not functionable objects but visual shapes to be taken in by the viewer for form, texture and color.
virginia exhibits her work extensively throughout the united states and abroad, and has received numerous awards including the sydney meyer fund international ceramics premiere award from the shepparton museum in victoria, australia. she has lectured internationally on her work and been an artist in residence in taiwan, italy, australia and the netherlands. her clay forms reside in many public and private collections and reviews about her work appear in prestigious ceramic publications.
the idea of taking from one object and connecting it to another through the dissection of parts and pieces is a foundation of my recent work in ceramic sculpture. combined with this is my interest in the relation of whole forms to that of fragments.
exploration in the studio is and on-going visual investigation of man-made and natural objects. usually these consist of small things; ordinary in many ways, but possessing and odd quirkiness that pulls me to them. in some cases i do not know the objects particular purpose, function or where it may have originated. i feel this lack of knowledge allows me to see the object in a clearer light.
the worn, crusty surfaces on many of the pieces are created to give a sense of how time acts to make and unmake a form. this process can be seen in both natural and manmade objects.
i do not wish for this work to be named or labeled, rather, it is my intention that through the borrowing and reformation of objects the work might trigger one to look closer and find beauty and intrigue in the humble, ordinary and familiar objects that surround us.
virginia scotchie
ceramics objects and spheres by virginia scotchie are currently exhibited in a group show that opened this past weekend. virginia's work will also be included in our summer exhibition women in abstract opening july 11th and running through august 30th. all available work is on the website and please call the gallery if you have any questions!