An exploration in texture.
When creating ceramics, I revel in the details. Whether I’m placing a constellation of tiny dots on an urchin or vase, or making a mountain of ceramic sprinkles (each one lovingly cut and colored by hand), every motion and color is painstakingly thought out. This detail and precision is the art. I can easily lose myself in the process. Dotting lines and form with repetitive motions and visuals is a joy for me.
Then, there’s the tactile feeling in your hand of the object itself, covered in raised dots or painted slip. That experience is what it's all about. You can’t help but pick it up and feel the texture. Roll it around in your hands. Run your fingertips across the surface. There is joy in that as well.
But what is joy without a bit of whimsy? Enter: The donuts! For all the seriousness involved in the detail, there has to be humor in my work as well. Who doesn’t look at a donut and smile and want to take a bite right then? That’s my goal. I want to evoke cravings and serenity, beauty and a smile. Mostly functional, but all works of art and one of a kind.
Ceramics by Marienne Chapman
About the Artist
Marienne Chapman was born and raised in California. She has lived and worked in New York, Maui and around the Bay Area. After graduating from U.C. Riverside with a degree in Theatre, she began her career as the stage management intern with the National Actor’s Theater in New York. She continued working in theatre as a Stage Manager both on and off Broadway for nine years. Following 9/11 and feeling a need to return to family and the Bay Area, she studied to become a Pastry Chef at the California Culinary Academy, another of her life’s passions. This took her into the world of retail café’s, bakeries, and hotels. Here her love of working with her hands was explored and developed.
Then several years ago, Marienne tried a ceramic throwing class and that was it. She was hooked. Her pastry skills translated well to pottery, and she uses many of the same techniques to make her work today. “They are works inspired by what I love in the world around me.”
Recently, Marienne has been working on what she calls her “chandelier dots.” These are inspired by the idea of draped jewels in form and as decoration. “I have Art Deco and Nouveax visions in mind when placing the dots. More specifically, the curved womanly shaped pieces are often inspired by the idea of Josephine Baker and her costumes of the 1920’s as she traveled through Europe.”
Whether it comes from a love of the ocean, dessert, or design, each unique piece is lovingly crafted by hand with extraordinary detail.
Stockist:
Lansing Street Gallery / Mendocino
Abrams Claghorn Gallery / Albany
Studio Vittorelli Gallery/Showroom / San Rafael
Open-Editions / San Francisco
Tellus Coffee / Walnut Creek
Codacraft Atelier / Oakland