Philip Kupferschmidt
Ceramicist
Chino, CA, USA
An art of glazes on slumping shapes
- Philip specialises in making textured gloop, crawl and lichen glazes
- He warps wheel thrown clay into amorphous functional and sculptural forms
- His creations are influenced by natural phenomena and environmental disasters
Born and raised in Southern California, Philip Kupferschmidt draws on nostalgia for the colour palettes and cultural references of his 1990s childhood. "I use heavy, dripping, cracked glazes to mimic elements of nature," he explains. "The slumped, biomorphic shape of my creations often comment on man-made environmental disasters." Before focusing on his passion for ceramics, Philip earned a BFA in creative photography from California State University, Fullerton, where he later completed his MFA in ceramics and now serves as an instructor. His background in visual aesthetics influences his understanding of form, light and texture in his independent studio, PK Ceramics. Philip's recent Supergloops series combines these qualities with ultra-vibrant pigments, gloopy glazes and material variances.
INTERVIEW
While pursuing my MFA, I worked for my professor, Nobuhito Nishigawara. After graduating, I was ready to open my own shop when Covid-19 hit. As people spent more time at home with their coffee, tea and houseplants, the demand for ceramics grew. This carried my practice through an uncertain time.
My Supergloops series is all about experimenting with glaze, pushing it and exploring its boundaries. I am always driven to see how far I can take it, how thickly I can layer it, and to find the limit of what it can do.
Exploring colour is part of the artistry. In ceramics, the pigments you apply to the glaze do not always turn out the way you expect them to. There is so much to learn and so many variations and combinations to try.
One of my biggest influences is Ken Price, a leading figure in the West Coast Ceramics Movement. A lot of my slump forms are inspired by his work. I appreciate his use of colour, his paintings and his subconscious vision.
Philip Kupferschmidt
Ceramicist
Chino, CA, USA
AVAILABILITY
By appointment only
LANGUAGES
English
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