Kristen Kieffer is a magnificent ceramicist who aligns her work with the detail, sophistication, and beauty of a bygone era. She explores textures and patterns through her pieces and is able to create soft, intricate pieces.Kristen Kieffer grew up in Louisville, Kentucky. As a little girl she enjoyed going to Louisville Stoneware on school field trips, and visiting the Louisville Art Museum with her parents. When she was in high school she moved to Rockville, Massachusetts where she had access to the Smithsonian’s and began her pursuit of ceramics. In 1993 Kristen received her Associates degree in Studio Ceramics from Montgomery College in 1993. Later in 1995 she recieved her Bachelor in Fine Arts from the NYSCC at Alfred University.
After pursuing ceramics from the educational perspective Kristen moved to Detroit where she got her hands dirty as an Intern for the Greenfield Village Pottery at the Henry Ford Museum. There Kristen threw pots in front of visitors for fourteen months. From there, Kristen took up Artist-In-Residence positions at John Glick’s Plum Tree Pottery in Michigan and at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts.
In1998 Kristen returned to school as a graduate student at the Ohio University. In 2001 she received her MFA .
Kristen's primary infludences in her work come from clothing and metal working. She like the idea of soft materials, such as fabric, creating hard ridged lines as in a corset or Elizabethan dress. Conversely how hard material, such silver or brass, yield soft forms. This influence is clearly illustrated in this corset vase. Kristen takes the clay and transforms it into fabric using bold, but soft lines, and detailed decorations all over the corset.
A common theme with Kristen’s work is her use of patterns and stamps. Here are a set of stamped bowls.
Pretty much all of Kristen’s work is soda fired, which really emphasizes her form with its addition of shadows.
Thanks for the post about me and my work which nicely infuses my artist statement and bio. Just a quick note that all of my work for the past five years is cone 7 electric, work prior to that was soda-fired, like the piece in the postcard.
ReplyDeleteBest, Kristen Kieffer
I am really inspired by her use of stamps on her bowls. I think that it adds another dimension of sophistication because it gives the viewer more to observe. Also, there is a very organic nature to her work, which i love. It looks extremely carefree and the use of light glazes adds to this effect. I did look at her work for inspiration in regards to our bowl assignment.
ReplyDeleteI really love the bowls she created. They were in the bowl presentation and I had looked at her work to get ideas for the bowls. Her vases idea that is posted is also very interesting because the shape and colors make the vases interesting but also do not take away from the flowers in the vase.
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