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ARTIST STATEMENT Ken and Pat Larson 3774 County Line Road Sturgeon Lake, MN 55783 218-485-8346
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We work together as a collaborative team with no assistants helping in any part of our artwork. There is no set pattern for this interplay. We each work on what we are best at for the piece and process given our individual expertise. Our medium of choice is clay sculpture, which we have come to as a natural progression. The craft of working with clay was learned starting with functional forms. Over the period of 30+ years they became first decorative objects then representations that elicit an imaginative response. Clay is a flexible medium. All the things you can do with it—fold, paddle, add, subtract, texture, burnish, etc.—offer virtually endless possibilities. Combine that with the different firing techniques of raku, blackware, and low temperature salt saggar, and you have a lot of room to explore. But, one must remember that technique is only a footnote to the art, only a step towards communication through the object. The art is about our lives, experiences, and interests. It is a reflection of the wild land we live on and the extremes of the northern continental climate—short, frantic summers and cold, character building winters. Because our work starts with us—humans—the human form, often simplified or abstracted has become an important element. An ongoing love affair with birds and their representation in clay makes up the balance. Combining these focuses has led to exploring the possibilities for interactions between humans and birds, or in a larger sense, between the human race and the environment. Also, virtually every piece has a story which gives the finished work added meaning beyond the decorative aesthetic. |
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