Judy Blake Ceramic Art :: Saggar Fired, Sawdust Fired and Naked Raku
Years ago as a young artist, I encountered the burnished, unglazed pottery of the Southwest Native Americans and the Mata Ortiz of Northern Mexico. I became completely captivated by the sensual beauty and surface qualities of those timeless vessels and the unpredictable firing processes used to create them. Since that time, I have worked to emulate these fascinating surfaces by using fire to breathe life into my work.
I am also inspired by my love of natural beauty - the graceful, undulating curve of an eggplant, the delicate fronds of a woodland fern or the exquisite beauty of a humble seed pod. With each piece, I am interested in finding a subtle balance between strength of form and sense of presence. Creating this kind of work brings great joy and satisfaction in the making of the pieces and the gathering of the combustible materials used in the firing processes. My work continues to evolve as I search for ways to enrich the surfaces of my vessels, creating forms that become canvases for painting with fire. Each piece, with its' simple lines and generous curves, has been richly marked by smoke and flame.
It is my hope that my vessels fill the viewers with a sense of mystery and wonder, drawing them beyond the soft light of the clay's surface and into a landscape infused with exciting visual textures and subtle patterns of colour and earthiness.
News
May 2023
Exhibition Catalogue - Judy Blake: Seed Vessels
March 2023
Beaverbook Art Gallery Exhibition
I'm truly looking forward to my upcoming show at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery!
Titled Judy Blake: Seed Vessels, this exhibition will run from March 27 - September 18, 2023 and it features some of my latest sawdust-fired, saggar-fired, and naked raku work.
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2020
2019-2020 collectionArtNB Acquisitions
I am honoured to have had a saggar-fired vessel selected for the collectionArtNB 2019-2020
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Aug 16, 2020
Gotta Minute? With Jennifer Pazienza
Mar 16, 2015
Judy Blake Page Added To Studio Ceramics Canada
Enjoy the elegant forms and birds and the dynamic surfaces of Canadian ceramist Judy Blake.
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March 3/2015
A profile on the Artisan Canada website
artisanontario.ca/judy-blake
Hi Everyone.
Just a note to let you know about a recently published book, titled "Judy Blake", which is written by Jonathon Bancroft-Snell, owner of Canada's largest Ceramic Art gallery.
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