Jeremy Richey
Artist's statement
I have studied, and am heavily influenced by, Japanese wood-fired ceramics, in particular Bizen ware. What distinguishes Bizen ware from other types of ceramics is the use of very sandy, high-iron-content, unglazed clay that is fired in wood kilns for three to 14 days. Visually, this method produces very rough, imperfect surfaces, with earth-tone glazing. This is created by the mineral content of wood ash deposited on the surface of the pieces within the kiln. Often intentionally flawed, the forms are fired at high temperatures, which can result in further warping.
The central goal within my own work is to find ways to produce interesting texture, form and colouration that are similar, although achieved through entirely different methods. In this series, I have utilised hair brushes, rope, razor knives and wooden paddles to shape and bring texture to sandy high-iron-content Raku clay on a wheel. Hair dryers and colour slips were then used to produce a surface that looks cracked or as though it has been pulled apart. These methods are generally difficult to control, and each produces its own desirable 'mistakes'; its desired imperfections.
I have studied, and am heavily influenced by, Japanese wood-fired ceramics, in particular Bizen ware. What distinguishes Bizen ware from other types of ceramics is the use of very sandy, high-iron-content, unglazed clay that is fired in wood kilns for three to 14 days. Visually, this method produces very rough, imperfect surfaces, with earth-tone glazing. This is created by the mineral content of wood ash deposited on the surface of the pieces within the kiln. Often intentionally flawed, the forms are fired at high temperatures, which can result in further warping.
The central goal within my own work is to find ways to produce interesting texture, form and colouration that are similar, although achieved through entirely different methods. In this series, I have utilised hair brushes, rope, razor knives and wooden paddles to shape and bring texture to sandy high-iron-content Raku clay on a wheel. Hair dryers and colour slips were then used to produce a surface that looks cracked or as though it has been pulled apart. These methods are generally difficult to control, and each produces its own desirable 'mistakes'; its desired imperfections.
Born in 1976 in Nashville, Tennessee, Jeremy Richey studied drawing and ceramics at Belmont University in Nashville, where he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts, before going on to study architecture at Rice University in Houston, Texas, and earning a Master of Architecture degree.
