Greg Van Dusseldorp
DURATION: February - March 2024
While in New Harmony Greg Van Dusseldorp’s focus will be on using the salt kiln to fire small sculptures and his pursuit of large vessel forms with possible sculptural elements and decorated with colored slips, underglaze, and cone 6 glazes. The small-scale sculpture will be a continuation of a current series that he has been working on combining anagama firings and mixing the results with cone 6 glazes and the electric kiln. While at New Harmony Van Dusseldorp plans to substitute the salt kiln for his anagama. This will direct his search in a different vein of firing and at a lower initial temperature. Van Dusseldorp continues to look for that contrast of raw clay body to the manufactured color of slips, underglaze, and glazes applied to the sculpture. His intention is to use more than one firing to achieve the results he desires. This could be a second firing in the salt kiln or a firing in an electric or gas kiln to achieve the final product. Greg Van Dusseldorp has a determination to build larger more powerful work.
IG: @woodfirefunk
EMAIL: woodfirefunk@gmail.com
QUICK FACTS
How many years have you been working as a clay artist? 37 years.
What is your main clay body that you currently use? I have been playing with porcelain recently but don't count out some dark stoneware.
What is the primary method you use for building your work? Handbuilding. I use slabs, coils, wheel thrown and hand formed objects.
What is your favorite studio tool? My hands.
Do you have any future clay wishes or dreams? Stay healthy so I can continue to work in clay and make art.
ARTIST STATEMENT
I take a very intuitive approach to my creative endeavors. My ceramic sculptures show an unrefined quality derived from a primitive instinct, freedom of the mind and my quest for provocative images. What drives me to express my unique viewpoint is stretching the materials and firing methods along with interjecting vivid colors amongst the forms. The complexity in this process adds layers of depth to the exterior of the art object.
I am drawn to the search for color in high temperature firings in ceramics and the development of glaze movement in conjunction with the use of ancient wood firing techniques to create tension and viscosity in the surface of the clay. Then interrupting the veneer of the sculpture once again using modern glazes and firing methods to achieve a dynamic that works concurrently with the molded ceramic forms.
BIOGRAPHY
BORN: Pella, IA | USA
Greg Van Dusseldorp received his Masters of Fine Arts in 1993 and Masters of Art in 1991 for ceramics and drawing from the School of Arts and History at University of Iowa. He received his Bachelors of Arts in 1982 for Art and Mass Communications from Buena Vista University. Van Dusseldorp has exhibited in many solo and group exhibitions across the Midwest as well as participated in numerous juried exhibitions nationally. His work is in collections of the Archie Bray Foundation, Buena Vista University, Kent State University, Northern Arizona University Museum of Art, and University of Iowa School of Art and Art History, in addition to several private collections.