Mark Churchill
Find, 2022
Glazed stoneware, with local chert inclusions
9 x 5.5 x 5.5 inches
$2,400
Please note:
Once purchase is complete the buyer will be contacted regarding shipping, transportation, fabrication, and or framing if applicable.
About the Artist:
Mark Churchill is inspired by traditional Korean and Japanese ceramic craftsmanship as well as the rich history of Southern California ceramics. His hand-made stoneware and porcelain is supplemented by adding local earthenware and ash to create unique textural effects. By creating slips and glazes from local organic materials and using multiple firings so that each piece retains a unique textural effect Churchill strives to create work that is both functional and soulful. In his purely sculptural work on view at the Atkinson Gallery the glazes are made from scratch and incorporate local materials, such as red clay sourced from Ojai, California, combined with ash from oak and pine. After the glaze is applied, the work is fired to 2340 degrees. At this temperature the clay itself becomes vitrified so that even the unglazed areas are impervious to water. The glazes become fluid and fuse with the clay, and the oxygen starved flames surround the work providing warmth and depth.