Our current exhibit features the work of contemporary ceramic artist Molly Uravitch. In a new series, 5 Questions, we ask our exhibiting artists 5 questions to gain insight into who they are and what informs their work.
HCA: Describe your work in 15 words or less
Molly: Visually stimulating, colorful, layered pattern & texture, playful, whimsical, obsessive, narratives
HCA: What is the most indispensable item in your studio and why?
Molly: A set of “Kemper Mini Ribbon Tools,” is the most indispensable item in my studio. They come six to a pack, with three different shapes in 2 sizes. Most of my work is carved to some extent. I have tried many brands and styles and have found that Kemper brand tools are made really well, and stay sharp a long time.
HCA: What is your dream art project?
Molly: I would love to build a sunken garden, with a grotto and water feature. The space would feature sculptures, have mosaiced paths and be full of flowers and plants.
HCA: Who is your favorite artist and why?
It’s hard to choose just one artist, as I like so many for different reasons. In thinking about form I would choose Ruth Duckworth, a modernist sculptor who worked predominantly in clay. The ceramic sculptures she made are superbly crafted pure form. I am inspired by her use of positive and negative space. For the most part the surfaces are left white allowing for the shifts in planes to create a variety of value in shadow.
HCA: What are your hobbies?
In the summer I am obsessed with tending to my garden where we raise a huge variety of vegetables and flowers. In the winter I fuss over my houseplants. In a different life I would have been a botanist. I also enjoy reading mysteries and science fiction, and play a lot of games.
You can see Molly’s exhibit, The Visitors, on view in the gallery through August 17th.
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