Biography
Lovettsville, Virginia studio artist and educator, Kristen Swanson, has had her hands in clay since 1991. Kristen has been teaching ceramic art to children and adults in her community through her personal studio and classroom, White House Ceramics Studios, since 2001. Kristen exhibits her unique porcelain art locally and nationally and sells her work around the globe. She lives and works in her home studio in the heart of historic Lovettsville, Virginia with her husband and three sons.
Education
1998 Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramic Art, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
1994 Bachelor of Science in Education, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
Publications
500 Vases: Contemporary Explorations of a Timeless Form, Lark Books, 2010 • Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Google
Artist Statement
“Creating beautiful pottery through a process of work is like creating life where each physical day makes up profound and meaningful years.” -Hannah Marshall
This observation truly captures the essence of my studio practice and life. Each day I strive to acknowledge and understand what it means to make pots and what it means to contribute to my craft, my community and my spirit.
I discovered clay as a sophomore in college in 1991. It captured my heart, my intellect and my creative expression in a powerful way. I knew immediately that my life would revolve around this beautiful material. I finished my degree in elementary education, all the while sneaking into the ceramic studio on campus during the wee hours of the night, spending every available moment developing my skill. I taught elementary school for two years and proceeded to Virginia Commonwealth University to study ceramics and earn my Bachelor of Fine Arts. I have devoted my life first to my family and second to my own expression through clay.
Each one-of-a-kind porcelain piece is wheel thrown on the potter’s wheel or hand constructed out of clay slabs. I paint my designs with clay slip on the unfired clay body using a combination of brushwork and slip trailing. I then use a technique called sgraffito to scratch into the surface to expose the white porcelain beneath. The work is bisque fired, clear glazed, and fired a second time to 2300 degrees. Asian art has long been an influence in my work – my childhood home was filled with Asian furniture, tapestries, scroll paintings, and sculpture. I am further influenced by both traditional and contemporary textile patterns as well as traditional botanical motifs. I am drawn to high contrast and graphic imagery and therefore choose to limit my surface work to black and white with occasional touches of color. The use of a clear glaze highlights the subtle texture of the porcelain body.
I am committed to functional ceramic art and want my pieces to be used in the everyday domestic landscape of people’s lives. I believe that intimate contact with objects that are handmade, intentionally crafted, and beautiful can transform common experiences into meaningful experiences.