Judith Runge

Ceramicist

©Judith Runge

Plant and animal forms

Judith is a very skilled engobe painter
She enjoys artistically demanding processes
She founded an artist collective

Judith Runge is a ceramicist and artist from Halle. She trained at the famous Meissen Porcelain Manufacture as a porcelain painter, which is an extremely prestigious four-year training programme. Meissen's porcelain painters work on one design only, and Judith specialised in floral decorations. Upon completion of her training she began her studies at Burg Giebichenstein Art Academy, during which she spent a semester in Iceland. She learned pottery making during this time. Judith opened her own ceramic studio in 2000 following her postgraduate study at the HFKD. As a result of the inspiration she draws from plants and animals, her sculptures often seem to have a personality of their own. Their indistinguishable forms capture the imagination. In addition to co-founding a forum for contemporary ceramics, Judith also created an artist collective whose public installations have drawn wide attention.

Interview

What inspires you?: I am very inspired by nature. Colours and nature's versatility fascinate me most. My father was a scientist and I think I inherited his spirit for research. To me, getting to the bottom of things is important. Observing nature in its smallest detail fascinates me and provides me with many ideas for my artwork.
What was a particularly special experience in your working life?: As part of my graduate scholarship, I was invited to a symposium in Hawaii. As a lover of nature and colour, this was an extraordinary experience for me.
Is there a specific technique you master?: I have extensive experience with painting engobes. A steady hand and patience are essential to this work, as well as talent and practice. In my sculptural works, I like to apply paint to give the surfaces a different structure visually. In spite of my somewhat simple crockery, I like to paint it very elaborately.
Could you explain what your artist collective is?: Three women make up our artist collective called UKO. We usually work together on very large and complex installations. As an example, we created an installation made from 3500 air-filled latex gloves that appeared to grow down the front facade of the opera house in Halle. We love taking on new challenges and using new materials for our projects.

Judith Runge is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2000