Singing to the Difference: An Examination of Surface Strategies 2024
Adero Willard
Bio:
Adero was born in New York City. She completed her BFA in Fine Arts at NY State College of Ceramics at Alfred and later received an MFA from Nova Scotia College Of Art and Design in Halifax, NS, Canada. She has taught ceramics as a visiting assistant professor at NY State College of Ceramics at Alfred University from 2020-2023. Adero is a co-founder and board member of POW! Pots on Wheels, an organization dedicated to bringing ceramics to communities ranging from rural classrooms to city neighborhoods. In the spring of 2023, Adero organized an exhibition at NCECA in Cincinnati titled “Clay Holds Water, Water Holds Memory. " Adero has participated in several ceramics’ discussion panels, exhibited work nationally and internationally, and has been featured in numerous publications and books on ceramics. Currently, she serves as an assistant professor of ceramics at California State University Sacramento.
Artist Statement:
Clay settles into the earth, flowing along rivers of earth, water, bones, plants, and stones. The interconnections between the body, clay, and fabric encapsulate the stories of our histories spanning from ancient times to the present day. Ephemeral and transient, these narratives are gathered through time, weaving together elements such as fabric, plants, and flowers. In my studio, I embark on an expressive exploration of surface and form, guided by metaphor and material exploration. Through the figure, animal, plant, and pottery vessels, I delve into duality, ancestry, ceremony, and language. My work reflects my deep connections to the earth and my heritage, embodying ambiguity, complexity, and beauty. Drawing inspiration from diverse sources such as the body, gardens, fabric, and jazz, I integrate words and concepts from different languages to enrich my artistic vocabulary. The word 'Prunck' encapsulates an abstract and eclectic approach—a symbol of openness, fluidity, and curiosity, allowing for meaningful connections with materials and narratives to unfold.
Lift Prunck #1
red clay, slip, underglaze, glaze, luster; Egyptian paste
16” x 14“
$ 2500
When making Lift Prunck, an early vessel in the Prunck series, I began to imagine vibration and flight emerging from the spinning circles, meandering vines, and geometric planes sculpted into the clay layers. The piece exuded a sense of lifting a substantial weight and taking flight.
BlokashGi Prunck; flesh, blood, bone Prunck
red clay, slip, underglaze, glaze, luster; Egyptian paste, fabric, wire, Sana’s ceramic pins
40” x 25”
$5000
BlokashGi Prunck; flesh, blood and bone, I delve into the essence of flesh, blood, and bone, connecting deeply with the earth and my ancestral lineages. As a Black Cherokee queer woman of mixed heritage, my art pulsates with interconnected layers—both harmonious and conflicting. The form and surface of each piece embody a symphony of elements: ambiguity, discordance, fragmentation, messiness, fluidity, complexity, chaos, ugliness, imbalance, heaviness, and beauty. These intricacies weave together to evoke a profound yet complex harmony within my work.
Gegao Prunck: Weave
red clay, slab built, slips, underglazes, glazes
42” x 17” x 14”
$3000
Inspired by the improvisational spirit of Jazz, the intricate layering of collage, and the practice of gathering disparate historic materials in quilting, I immerse myself in color and material. It is within this process that I discover movement and hear the stories embedded within each form. Guided by a visual rhythm of patterns and color, I delve into the materiality of clay, intertwining it with the evocative qualities of color and pattern. Through this exploration, I seek to forge connections to the body, weaving together tactile and visual elements to evoke a sensory experience that resonates deeply within.
Exhibition Season:
An Examination of Surface Strategies