From delicately folded paper, Berkeley-based ceramicist Mark Goudy attracts inspiration for an ongoing collection, Origami. He describes his work as “minimal forms with hidden complexity,” constructing on a love for easy but elegant types that mirror nature’s inherent geometries.
In meticulous sculptures that merge kind and performance, Goudy pulls from his expertise as a 3D graphics {hardware} design engineer. Utilizing algorithmic 3D software program, he creates objects that nod to the artwork of Japanese paper folding. “Many of these forms are designed to balance on the folds—when set on a flat surface, they rock back and forth, naturally settling into their inherent point of equilibrium,” he says.
Goudy’s skinny, translucent, slipcast items are comprised of black or white bisque-fired clay, which he often colours by portray metallic salt watercolors straight onto the floor. Salt soaks up and redistributes the pigment, which is additional influenced by the feel and permeability of the fabric.
“As the metal salts soak into the porous clay body, they move and interact with each other,” the artist says. “And during the drying process, they naturally gradate and concentrate on the edges, highlighting the folds and ridges of my forms.”
Utilizing solely three metallic salt pigments: gold, cobalt, and chromium, Goudy achieves numerous shades of purple, blue, and inexperienced. “I am especially drawn to cobalt blue, a reference to the ineffable blue of water and distance,” he says. “I think of these objects as containers for light and atmosphere.”
Goudy’s work will likely be on view within the 63rd Faenza Prize for the Worldwide Biennial of Modern Ceramic Artwork in Faenza, Italy, from June 28 to November 30. See extra of the artist’s work on his web site and Instagram.
