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Artists « Steve Dark
Steve Dark (sculptor / potter) Dark’s most recent phase of work is primarily concerned with the aesthetics of the lower Appalachian folk jug potters and his own idiosyncratic, narrative impulse. He uses the classic forms of the whimsical face and chicken jugs as a springboard, modifying them to express his own offbeat sense of humor and curiosity toward the medium and subject matter. This work conveys a folksy style of personal revelation or reflection. “Personally, the most exciting aspect of being a ceramist is the exploration of process,” Dark says. As a young artist, Dark says he was instantly seduced by the power of the potter’s wheel. He works on a series of six to eight pieces at a time, throwing on the wheel the primary forms and decorative parts. When the clay is at just the right stage of dryness, he begins the assembly process. To the hollow sculptural form, he attaches the finer details—cutting, pushing and pulling, adding slabs, coils and pulled handles—until the desired final product is achieved. Regarding the decorative details of the figures, Dark deliberately aims for a sharp contrast between the eyes and teeth of porcelain and the buff color of the stoneware. The hats and costumes instill a sense of individual personality to each figure. He explores a broad range of human emotions in his expressive search for quirky individuality. “I aspire to build a psychological bridge between the viewer and myself by playing the provocateur.” Steve Dark received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Ceramics and Sculpture from the University of South Alabama. He went on to achieve his Master of Fine Arts degree in Ceramics from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. Selected Exhibitions and AwardsSeptember Celebration/Best of Mobile, Fine Arts Museum of the South, Mobile, Alabama (group) Panorama, Erie Summer Festival of the Arts, Mercyhurst College, Erie, Pennsylvania (juried) Kentuck Folk Art Festival, Northport, Alabama (juried) Magic City Art Connection, Birmingham, Alabama (juried) Purchase Award, University of South Alabama Student Art Association Spring Art Show and Sale 1987 First Place in Ceramics, Art in the Park, Edison Festival of Light, Ft. Myers, Florida 1993 Second Place in Three-Dimensional, Art Patrons League, Outdoor Art and Craft Fair, Mobile, Alabama, 1997 Items in the APT AuctionRelated Linkshttp://www.stevendark.com/home-old.htm |
