A Short Biography
Artist, Kathy Kerner
Kathy Kerner, ceramic artist continues to live and work in southeast Wisconsin. But her fondest memories are of her experience in the desert of Arizona. She was born in the southwest. She stated that this dry, quiet environment greatly influenced her work. For instance, her clay usually has texture that mimics the dusty, cracking earth found in the dry river beds of the desert. While walking along the desert, she could see layers of earth curling up and baking in the sun until the rains came to wash everything down hill. When the rain storms come, they can be torrential and dangerous during the monsoon season. Like the opposing forces found in southwest, her clay pieces often mimic opposites.Most recent sculptures take on the characteristics of both human and animal
In many pieces,she has transformed her personal images into decals for imagery.Her work includes a southwest style of pottery where the work is not glazed, but covered with a terra sigilatta& burnished. The the pottery is fired with an assortment of metals, oxides, copper, and combustibles:wood shavings, pine needles, paper. The special sagger firing is done in a special kiln. She does horsehair pottery where she burns hair and feathers into the clay. The marks are seared into the body of the piece.
"The tactile feel of clay and massaging of this earth can be therapeutic for all who open themselves up to the experience,"said Kathy. What started as having fun with mud pies out in the yard as a youngster has become a life time playing in clay.
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I am here post firing my raku piece and creating alot of smoke and fire. My kilns are set up at my home studio. Neighbors love to watch. |
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