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mary kaun english

This artist accepts commissions

Mediums Used

Stoneware Ceramic, Stoneware Ceramics, Ceramic, Ceramics, Pit-Fired Stoneware Ceramics,

Wimbledon College of Art (UAL)
Practice and Theory in Fine Art and Design
Putney Art College – Ceramics 2000-2005
Kingston University, Art Foundation Studies, 2000/2001

My intention, in both the process of creating the work and in the work itself, is to combine the bodily, earthly and unspiritual components with the material, ethereal and spiritual elements.

PIT-FIRED CERAMICS
Pit firing is a modern adaptation of an age-old method and is an active collaboration with the elements of earth, wind and fire. In a pit, in the earth or sand, unglazed ceramic sculptures are placed on a bed of wood shavings. Organic materials such as coffee grounds, banana peels and seaweed are placed around the work, as well as copper wire and steel wool; these materials will contribute colour to the ceramics as they burn. The ceramics are then covered with firewood and lit. Once the wood is vigorously burning the pit is covered with metal sheeting to retain the heat. Though the fast and hot fire tests the ceramics to the limit of their tolerance and contributes to a high breakage rate, the successful pieces make the loss rate worthwhile. The warm reds, pinks, blues and yellows that result from the collaboration with the fire and air make each unique piece embody the colours of the earth.

Sculptures by mary kaun english

Phase (Stoneware Ceramic sculpture)

£273

Gyre (Ceramic Minimalist Round statue)

£297

Ecliptic (Circular Stoneware Ceramic sculpture)

£293

`Journey` (Earth Coloured Ceramic Indoor statue)

£283

Twisted Form (Circular Disk Minimalist statue)

£250

Advocate (Small ceramic Circular Disk statuette)

£250

Inukshuk I (Abstract Minimalist Primitive statues)

£250

Bulwark (Circular Disk Abstract Indoor statue)

£263

Meridian (Oval Contemporary statue)

£277

Diginity (Circular Round Abstract Indoor statue)

£250

Poised (Moon Disk Contemporary ceramic sculpture)

£250

Equilibrium (circular asemetric contemporary Abstract dream sculpture)

£250

`Phase Series` (Small Stoneware Ceramic Moon Disk statuette)

£273

Credentials

Biography

MARY KAUN-ENGLISH is a contempory ceramic artist currently living in Cornwall. She was born and raised in Southern California where her passion for nature started as a young girl. Living in the then undeveloped San Rafael foothills, she was allowed to explore this desert landscape, being conscious of the natural spirit and materials around her, paralleling the movements of the native American Indians; her biological forefathers.

Mary moved to Britain in 1988 and now works from her garden studio, situated adjacent to woodlands in Surrey, creating hard-built sculptures made from clay. These pieces are smoke fired, exposing the porous clay to the smoke given off by the natural organic materials used to fuel the fire. The results are organic sculptures embellished with an account of the smokes ephemeral passage across the clay. By reason of this, each one of the sculptures is unique.

Her recent work centres on an opening in the form; this fundamental part of the work allows air and light into the solid form of the structure.

When exhibiting, Mary`s sculptures always generates a lot of interest from visitors and fellow exhibitors; resulting in frequent sales of her work.

Her work is currently held in private collections through-out England, Europe, California, Boston and India

Related work:
St Ives September Festival, Chairman, December 2016 to Present
Exhibition Co-ordinator, Surrey Sculpture Society, April 2012 - September 2016

Influences

I work in clay - a raw material that is earth. With this medium I attempt to obtain an unbroken connection with my natural world. My simple sculptural forms are completed using alternative ceramic firing methods which challenge possibilities, with an unpredictability of the outcome. To aide in the viewing process my pieces are intended to be held in your hand or touched - being tactile and tangible.
Living and working close to the North Cliffs of the Cornish Coastline, I am inspired by the impermanent fluctuation of nature, articulated by the shoreline as it changes during each passing day. This transient progression is mimicked by my process of using flames to patinate my work. As the fire passes over my organic shapes in the temporary kiln it leave a unique trail.

Public Works

Communal Pit-Firing in conjunction with St Ives Art Festival, September 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016 & 2017

Broome Park Sensory Garden July 2014
Commissioned by NADFAS to facilitate 6 workshops (60 children) with Northdowns School to create a group project of 3 sculptures.

Communal Pit-firing in conjunction with SAOS June 2013

Teaching Experience
Goonzoyle Pottery, Cornwall - Owner & Main Tutor 2017 - Present Weekly workshops & Residential Portland Studios - Owner & Main Tutor 2012 - 2017 Artist in Residence - ACS International School 2014 Pit-firing workshops: Painshill Park - October 2014 Portland Studios - July 2014 Painshill Park Surrey - May 2013 Emmetts Garden Kent - October 2013 Painshill Park Surrey - October 2013 Junior Art School; Surrey Arts 2010/12/13 FISH Workshops - Surrey Ceramics in the Woods - Painshill Park Art Workshops at Portland Studios Art Workshops with Mole Valley Council Sculpture Workshop - Roseberry School Epsom 2009-14 Art Workshops - Fetcham Scout Girl Scout Troups
Symposiums
St Ives Art Festival - Sept 2011/12/13/14/15/16/17/18 - presentation on ancient and modern uses of the pit-firing method. Surrey Artist Open Studios - June 2014 - presentation on ancient and modern use of the pit-firing method

Categories

This artists work is found in the following categories on site:
Ceramic sculptures Interior Indoors Inside Sculpture Organic/Abstract Sculpture Small /Little Abstract Contemporary sculptures/statues Spiritual sculpture Sun Moon Stars Solar System Planets Comets Celestial Bodies sculpture statues Contemplative, Restful, Thougtful Sculptures Minimalist Understated Abstract Contemporary Sculpture statuary statuettes Round Disk, Dish, Flat Circular Ring Shaped Sculptures / Statues statuette statuary Spherical Globe like Ball shaped Round Abstract Contemporary sculpture statue statuette Geometric Sculpture Archaeology inspired sculpture statues Figurative Abstract Modern or Contemporary Sculptures Statues statuary statuettes figurines Primitive or Naive style Sculpture or Statuary Land Art Sculpture Spiral Twisted sculpture/statue/carving Modern Abstract Contemporary Avant Garde Sculptures or Statues or statuettes or statuary Indoor Inside Interior Abstract Contemporary Modern Sculptures Welcome Happy Return Sanctuary Safe Haven Recption Welcome Home sculpture statue Tabletop Desktop Small Indoor Statuettes Figurines Sculptures Objects of desire sculptures Abstract Contemporary Modern Outdoor Outside Garden / Yard Sculptures Statues statuary Garden Or Yard / Outside and Outdoor Sculptures Meditation sculpture/statues/statuettes/figurines Peace sculptures or statues or statuettes

Tags

This artists work is found in the following tags on site:
Abstract Archaeology statuette Abstract Ceramic statue Abstract Indoor Ceramic sculpture Abstract Primitive statuette Contemporary Abstract Indoor statue Earth Coloured Ceramic statue Natural Smoke Fired sculpture Unique Smoke Fired Ceramic sculpture Ceramic Minimalist Contemporary statuette Contemporary Little Ceramic Earth Coloured Abstract disk statue Locally sourced Modern shaped sculpture natural Fired Ceramic statuette Organic Round Ceramic statuette Smoke Fired Abstract statue Unique Broken Circle Indoor statuette Circular Ceramic Indoor sculpture Circular Ceramic Inside statue Contemporary Round Ceramic statuettes Disk Ceramic Indoor sculpture Disk Ceramic Inside statue Loop Ceramic Indoor statuette Round Abstract Ceramic statue Affordable Abstract sculptures Ceramic Abstract statue Contemporary Ceramic statuette figurative Abstract sculptures Figurative Abstract statues Indoor Abstract sculptures Minimalist Interior Contemporary statue modern Contemporary Abstract sculpture Abstract Ceramic sculptures Abstract Ceramic statues Affordable Indoor sculptures Contemporary Indoor Abstract sculpture Indoor Abstract sculpture Indoor Ceramic Circular statue Modern Mood Abstract statuettes Organic colours Unique sculpture Abstract Stoneware Art Ceramic Abstract statues Circular Inorganic sculptures Handmade statues Indoor Affordable Abstract sculptures Indoor Ceramic small Abstract Ceramic sculptures Stoneware statues Abstract Ring Indoor statues Affordable Inorganic Circular statues Circular Abstract sculptures Circular Indoor Abstract statues Indoor Disk Shaped sculptures Inorganic Abstract sculptures Round Indoor Abstract sculptures small Round Abstract statues Abstract Disk Indoor statues Abstract Indoor statues Abstract Outdoor sculpture Circular Abstract statues Circular statuettes Minimalist Stoneware statue Round Disk sculptures Round Indoor statues small Inorganic sculptures Abstract Garden sculpture Abstract sculpture Abstract statue Ceramic sculpture Ceramic statue Circular Indoor statues Garden Art sculpture Peaceful Garden/Yard Art statues Round Flat statuettes Smoke Fired Ceramic sculpture Smoke Fired Ceramic statue