Sculpture

Wealth : : 2007

I am currently exploring the concept of wealth through discarded objects. Tea bags, apple cores and junk mail cast in bronze and aluminum immortalize the detritus. I then take these casts and transform them into new objects. This is an ongoing body of work. A few of the pieces (some finished, some in progress) are displayed here.

Identity : : 2000

In this work I transformed everyday household objects and materials into vignettes that captured a single moment in the complex story of a character's life. Often playing with words these pieces also explore the role of language in identity.

Mother : : 1998

This body of work is self referential and begins to explore the character of my mother and my relationship with her.

Appliances : : 1997

In this work I deconstructed and reconstructed iconic objects of everyday domestic life. I wove together my fascination with the icons of domesticity, early 20th century industrial design, and the power language has in defining people's roles to create objects that incite reflection.
 

Ceramics

NEW: I've opened an online shop at Etsy.com. Visit http://vwstudios.etsy.com to see current dishes and tiles availlable for purchase online.

Portraits from Home : : 2007

Thinking of the landscape in Ohio where I grew up, I was struck by the similarities of forms found in urban and rural industries. Tall, vertical cylinders and wide rectangles with peaked rooves repeat themselves on steel mills, farm buildings, and Great Lakes freighters. These white earthenware bottles draw inspiration from these forms. Their shapes are abstractions of the landscape while their soft pillowy walls wear images of Ohio's industrial buildings.

Table wares : : 2007

This new functional ceramic work is an exploration of form. It is an attempt to stretch my ceramic vocabulary beyond the surface and develop more mature forms.

Bug Plates : : 1996

In these plates I explored many of the the issues of domesticity and gender roles through anthropomorphized bugs. Large platters and plain functional forms carried much of the imagery into the user's home where it might influence their everyday life.
  

Design

To see my graphic design work, visit www.vanwagonerstudios.com!