Five Ears, 2001

Richard Notkin

terracotta

2.5"H x 2.5"W x .5" Depth

This delightfully intricate miniature piece by Richard Notkin is simultaneously unconventional and aesthetically beautiful. Made up of an amalgamation of ears in rich red clay, this sculpture speaks to Notkin's deeply help social justice values. The design itself is effortlessly smooth and unique, toeing the line between figuration and surrealist. The small size of the piece belies the big impact it will carry in your collection representing one of the best known ceramic artists in the United States.

Artist Statement

Ears are a recurring theme in Notkin's work. According to the artist, the ear represents a "listener to the outside world, cycles of life and death, evolution and survival." Often connected with his deeply held anti-war beliefs, the ears can be tiny, overwhelmingly oversized, piled in galleries, or presented alone, to reflect the many ways that humanity remains unhearing to the plight of those affected by war around the world. He says, "We have stumbled into the 21st Century with the technologies of Star Wars and the emotional maturity of cavemen. The problems of human civilization are far too complex to be solved by means of explosive devices."

Artist Biography

Richard Notkin is a full-time studio artist who lives and works in Helena, Montana. He received a BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute in 1970, and an MFA from the University of California, Davis in 1973. Richard has worked mainly in ceramics for over fifty years, averaging over one solo exhibition per year. His series of Yixing (China) inspired teapots and ceramic sculptures have been exhibited internationally and are in more than 75 public collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Japan. He has held visiting artist positions and conducted over 250 workshops throughout the world. Among his awards, Richard has received three fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, and grants from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation and the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation. In 2008, Notkin was elected a Fellow of the American Craft Council, and was also awarded the Hoi Fellowship by the United States Artists Foundation. He is also the recipient of the Meloy Stevenson Award from the Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT, and the Honorary Membership Award from NCECA, National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts, in 2014.

Donated by Marsha Gold

• All winning bids are paid in full before artwork leaves The Clay Studio. Winning Bids are automatically billed at the close of the Auction at 10:30 pm.
• Shipping is NOT included in the winning bid.
• Items can be packed and shipped, and the winner will pay the cost.
• Items can be picked up at The Clay Studio for no additional cost.
• Items with alcohol CANNOT be shipped.

Crystal Cup

Brett Freund

porcelain, glaze

4 1/2" Diameter x 3 1/2" H

This cup is truly outrageous! Covered in sculpted gems, this piece by Brett Freund is dazzling in peach tones, greens, and teals. Perfect for tea or as a curio for your collection. Freund is well known for his over the top depictions of glossy gemstones projecting from his functional vessels. In a world of beautiful pottery, Freund's work is unmistakable and dynamic.

Artist's Biography

Brett Freund earned his MFA from Southern Illinois University in 2011 after completing a residency at St. Petersburg Clay Company, in Florida. Following his education, he was a Lormina Salter Fellow at Baltimore Clayworks and in 2012 was named an Emerging Artist by Ceramics Monthly. He has since relocated to Minneapolis, where he maintains a studio and is a teaching artist at Northern Clay Center, where he received a 2015 Jerome Ceramic Artist Project Grant and a 2018 McKnight Artist Fellowship for Ceramic Artists. Freund's work starts with prototypes designed from hand building, wheel throwing, and 3D printed clay. He uses these components to make new combinations and discoveries as he intuitively pieces together slip cast parts. Though attracted to techniques associated with the industrial process and mass repetition, each piece he makes is arranged so that no piece is ever exactly the same as another, putting a filter between the material and himself.

Artist's Statement

When working I think about my own definitions of preciousness and value. How does an object qualify itself as being important? Is what I'm after rare like a diamond, does it take time to grow like a crystal or is it a symbol that references a status or identity? Most importantly, how can I scrutinize hierarchies without undermining the possibility of growing in my craft?

Donated by Marsha Gold

• All winning bids are paid in full before artwork leaves The Clay Studio. Winning Bids are automatically billed at the close of the Auction at 10:30 pm.
• Shipping is NOT included in the winning bid.
• Items can be packed and shipped, and the winner will pay the cost.
• Items can be picked up at The Clay Studio for no additional cost.
• Items with alcohol CANNOT be shipped.

Ani Kasten Cup

Raffle Tickets Are Available In-Person Only

This small cup is a quintessential example of Ani Kasten's artistry and skill. It's form and surface are beautifully detailed, and the colors will compliment any home. This piece will shine in your home and add dimension to your ceramic collection.

Artist Biography

Kasten began her career in ceramics in 2000, apprenticing with British ceramist Rupert Spira. After a year in England gaining a foundation in functional studio pottery, Kasten traveled to Kathmandu, Nepal, where she spent four years as head of a project for developing a stoneware ceramic facility for artisan potters in the village of Thimi, Nepal. Her training in England and her experiences in Nepal were a formative influence on Kasten's ceramic sculpture and vessels, which draw on minimalist British studio ceramics, as well as hand-made antiquities created by indigenous peoples throughout Asia. Kasten greatly benefitted from sharing techniques and materials with artisans from far-flung cultures, and this has given rise to a unique artistic vocabulary that informs her own ceramic work.

In 2005, Kasten established her studio in Oakland, California, where she shifted from making functional studio ceramics to also creating sculptural ceramics. In 2007 Kasten became an Artist in Residence at Red Dirt Studio in Mt. Rainier, MD, where she worked closely with artist Margaret Boozer. Here, she further developed her distinct combination of sculpture and vessel work, showing her ceramics nationally at galleries and fine craft shows. In 2012, she purchased an old shoe repair shop to house her studio as well as workspace for other artists. Kasten's storefront studio and gallery, Artbar, was a draw for visitors and collectors, and became one of the neighborhood creative hotspots. In 2016, Kasten moved to the St. Croix River Valley, northeast of Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she is currently a host potter for the historic St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour. Kasten lives in Shafer, Minnesota, on a small farm with a house and barn where her studio and showroom are located. She continues to exhibit her work nationally and internationally in galleries and fine craft exhibitions.

Donated by the Artist - Marsha Gold

• All winning bids are paid in full before artwork leaves The Clay Studio. Winning Bids are automatically billed at the close of the Auction at 10:30 pm.
• Shipping is NOT included in the winning bid.
• Items can be packed and shipped, and the winner will pay the cost.
• Items can be picked up at The Clay Studio for no additional cost.
• Items with alcohol CANNOT be shipped.

Lily Jar

Cliff Lee

porcelain, celadon glaze

3 1/2" Diameter x 2 1/2" H

Raffle Tickets Are Available In-Person Only

Bring this stunning example of artist Cliff Lee's work home. This lidded dish features Cliff's beautiful use of celadon glaze and exquisite carving. A must have for any ceramic collection.

Artist Biography

With four decades of experience under his belt, Cliff stands as a master craftsman in the world of ceramics. Cliff has honed his skills, shaping clay into exquisite forms that captivate the imagination. This dish is a beautiful example of his understanding of the medium, seamlessly translating his vision into tangible works of art. With each piece, Cliff creates vessels that speak of timelessness and beauty. Cliff's pottery serves not only as a testament to his talent but also as a bridge connecting past and present, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in the rich tapestry of ceramic artistry.

Lee gained prominence through his inclusion in the 1993 show White House Collection of American Crafts, which was curated by Michael Monroe, who was then the director of the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution. Lee's work is now included in the permanent collections of several museums, including the National Museum of American Art at the Smithsonian Institution, the Yale University Art Gallery, and the Peabody Essex Museum. He has also won numerous awards for his porcelain, including Best of Ceramics at the American Craft Exposition, the Craftsmen's Choice Award at the Smithsonian Craft Show, and the Award of Excellence in Craft at the Westchester Craft Show. More recently, Cliff has shown his work at the Palm Beach Show, held every year at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. He also continues to show his work at the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show.

Donated by Marsha Gold

• All winning bids are paid in full before artwork leaves The Clay Studio. Winning Bids are automatically billed at the close of the Auction at 10:30 pm.
• Shipping is NOT included in the winning bid.
• Items can be packed and shipped, and the winner will pay the cost.
• Items can be picked up at The Clay Studio for no additional cost.
• Items with alcohol CANNOT be shipped.