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SHEKINAH CLAY ARTIST’S BIO |
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LYNNE ANDERSON - Ceramic Artist
BIOGRAPHY
Of mostly English heritage, I was born in Dallas, Texas in 1947, the youngest (and only girl) in a family of four. My family owned a ranch in central Texas and much of my nearly overwhelming inspiration of nature can be dated back to that time and place. Following high school, I came to Colorado to work/study and felt I had come "home". I completed my undergraduate work in Fine Arts with a teaching degree from the University of Northern Colorado in 1970 and, in 1996, completed my Master's Degree in Ceramics and Art Education at the same University. The western slope of Colorado, where I continue to be captivated by the austere beauty of the desert southwest, has been my home for a number of years. It is in this location that I continue to draw rich inspiration for my work.
ARTIST'S STATEMENT
My work and the creative process itself are clearly in the “driver’s seat” of my path as an artist. It is like being on a road trip and not being sure of the exact final destination but being filled with excitement and adventure of where it is taking me!
There are consistent elements in my work which have their roots in the desert southwest; its landscape, wildlife and imagery. I have studied and drawn endless inspiration from the pictographs and petroglyphs left behind on rock and cave walls by more ancient peoples who inhabited this area in centuries past. The ongoing influence of Native American artistry and culture is also a source of admiration and respect.
Of continuous challenge to me, and perhaps the single most significant one, is to incorporate much of the iconography of this geographical area in a new way that is unique to my mode of expression. Images are stylized in a more contemporary approach but are placed on carefully crafted surfaces suggestive of rock/cave walls and, while some of the forms might be reminiscent of Pueblo pottery, the intense coloration of iridescent raku glazes puts a modern spin on them. The ancient spiral symbol might be portrayed sculpturally on a wall piece or pictorially along with other stylized images. In a sense, my work might be termed “Neo-Southwestern”. I love contrast in artwork and enjoy the challenge of “making it work” aesthetically. I love creating sculptural, abstract forms with randomly torn edges; combining contemporary with old/ancient. Often, I combine other materials such as fiber, copper metal/wire, bone beads and metallic threads which I find visually exciting.
Each of my pieces seems to have its own “life” and I strive to remain open & receptive to its own dictates for final presentation.
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