ARTIST STATEMENT ~ JOSEPH SAND
In college, the choice to use clay as a medium was clear, but my artistic direction was initially uncertain. I delved into exploring the struggle of the human condition through figurative sculpture. Art serves as a conduit for profound connection and I sought more by studying under renowned UK ceramicists like Svend Bayer, Micki Schloessingk, Clive Bowen, Toff Milway, and Mark Griffiths, where I discovered a love for woodfire and refined forms. This journey eventually led me to North Carolina.
Stepping into Mark Hewitt's workshop, I felt the weight of ceramic history and lineage, with echoes of artists like Leach, Cardew, and Piker. And I wasted no time absorbing every ounce of wisdom I could from Mark. Despite the daily work ethic required, the experience affirmed my passion for ceramics.
The voice of my homeland continues to find its way into my pots. As an artist hailing from Minnesota, one cannot deny Warren MacKenzie’s influence on ceramics. His aesthetic honors the elements, which continues to remain central to my work through utilizing local clay and handmade glazes. Elemental connections to minerals, soil, atmosphere, and water define our work as ceramic artists, capturing a magical simplicity.
In the workshop, I explore the physical properties of clay through experimental forms, often inspired by the fluidity and power of water. These pieces, imbued with blue glazes reminiscent of the sea, retain the refined lines and functionality characteristic of a Hewitt apprenticeship while speaking a language of their own.
As a ceramic artist, I continue to explore aesthetic, allowing the clay to speak through me, while honoring the foundational principles instilled during my apprenticeship. There is immense value in immersive learning, an opportunity that appears to be dwindling in our field. I have chosen to offer apprenticeship, aiming to pay tribute to this remarkable lineage.
ARTIST BIO
Joseph Sand, originally from Austin, MN, lives and works near Randleman, NC, with his wife and children. He makes brightly colored functional wares as well as powerful, large, angular sculpture, using techniques acquired after his apprenticeship with Hewitt, attesting to his curiosity and prior training as a sculptor at UM, Duluth.
LINKS
https://www.josephsandpottery.com/
