Mikey was my professor last year at LSU and I had seen Hiroe’s work at the Clay Studio in Philadelphia during NCECA last spring. I guess you could say my attendance to this show was both personally and professionally motivated.
This exhibition was tucked into the back corner of Lillstreet’s entrance area, making it difficult to see without getting up close and personal with the work. Although Hanazono and Walsh’s work is disparate in content, the pairing made sense within the context of the space. Both artists use color and surface to engage the user in a variety of ways.
Her squat little characters seem to be in conversation with one another on the pedestal, inviting the viewer to join in the fun. Walsh meticulously handbuilds each piece with slabs in both earthenware and porcelain, giving them an individual quality not achieved with slip casting.
Hanazono’s work varies from Walsh’s in both form and function. While, in this exhibit, Walsh displays mostly drinking vessels and luminaries, Hanazono exhibits everything from flower vases to plates, to dishes for ice cream sundaes.Walsh intends for her pieces to be personal in subject matter but also relatable for others. Through surfaces just begging to be touched, she creates items that someone might cherish as a personal talisman or good luck charm.
The color palette of Hanazono's work is a bit different. Comprised of soft pastels, each piece creates a blank canvas for a variety of colorful foods. During the reception, Hanazono gave an artist talk detailing her history with ceramics and where it has taken the evolution of her work.
I was most intrigued by her process. She began handbuilding all of her pieces, but couldn’t achieve the precision she wanted so she moved (as many potters do) to slip casting. Initially, she was creating all of her prototypes out of laminated wood that would then be turned into plaster moulds. Hanazono said that this process was extremely tedious, but she executed her forms that way until recently. Now, she uses a CNC router and pink foam to create her prototypes, saving her hours of time. I had never before heard of this process and, although I am not big into slip casting, I still think it’s pretty cool.
At the closing of her talk, Hanazono gave a heart warming speech about home and feeling at peace with her location. Having been born in Japan and coming to the United States, she said she didn’t feel settled for many years but now, in Philadelphia, feels at ease within that community. It was sweet and nice to hear.
When I left Lillstreet Friday night, I was filled with a feeling that I often get after viewing a good show. It’s a feeling of kinship with the artists being featured and a renewed confidence in what I’m doing here, at Terra.
Thank you for ‘tuning’ in to my first blog here. Hopefully, there will be more to come.
Seana.
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