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Anthony Hounder
Minneapolis, MN
Merit
Award: Ceramics
We are all fire, earth and water.
My initial attraction to clay was as simple as its touch, the sensation I received from it. What started as a simple fascination and hobby, grew into a lifestyle. At 18 I sought for a way to hone my skills and started assisting in a pottery and soon became an apprentice with Phil Echert and Paul Morris of Rockhard Stoneware. With the help of them, many other great potters and Mother Earth herself I gained the skill and inspiration to create objects of my desire.
My continuing journey for inspiration and progress has taken me many places, near and far, geographical and psychological. I like to think of my work as transforming or evolving pieces of earth, just as I am, trying to create something beautiful and substantial, that can be used in everyday life or simply admired for its elements of form, texture, and color. I do this by combining elements derived from our natural world.
The current clay bodies of my choice are high-fire stonewares, including Buff and High-fire white. The shapes are all hand-thrown on a potter’s wheel. Sometimes multiple separate shapes are assembled and have added attachments such as pulled handles, lugs, or coils. These are for either function or adornment, and always seeking a well balanced shape.
Thanks
Anthony S. Huonder
AsH Pottery
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Kathleen Teach
Bonita Springs, FL
Merit
Award: Sculpture
Our separate fires will kindle one flame. Gather in peace, gather in thanks, gather in sympathy now and then. Gather in hope, compassion and strength. Gather to celebrate once again.
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Steve Tomachek
St Paul, MN
Merit
Award: Wood
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Jeff Ruprecht
Hermantown, MN
Merit
Award: 2-D
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Lisa Bowman
Fountain City, WI
Merit
Award: Fiber
It was my grandparents who taught me how to envision and create objects. To dream up an idea-like the Barbie sofa set with matching cushions-and develop it into a finished product with their help was an amazing process which hooked me at an early age. As a skilled upholsterer with an art degree I began designing upholstered fish pillows.
Onefishpillows started with a lumbar pillow I fashioned after the goldfish cracker. The name is inspired by the book One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish by Dr. Suess, which exclaims: "Say! what a lot of fish there are"...reminding me that the design possibilities are endless.I remember looking down at the cracker in the palm of my hand and imagining it as a pillow. Adding the big button eye brought the pillow to life. Now I explore antique fish books with wonderful hand draw color plates and create original designs based on actual species that emulate that hand drawn look. During production my shop is piled and fabric is flying. I design, cut, sew and craft each piece including endless yards of contrasting welt and hundreds of fabric covered button eyes.
My workroom in western Wisconsin looks out at our railroad garden on the mighty Mississippi River. I am continually finding inspiration in the surrounding landscape but fretting over our troubled water and the fish that are too contaminated to regularly eat. I hope to bring awareness to our challenged fish population and inspire people to protect our glorious waterways!
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Dan Neff
Duluth, MN
Merit
Award: Glass
At age 24, Dan Neff has worked with many professionals with in the glass industry and yet he still feels he's only grazed the surface of knowledge pertaining to his medium. “Torch-working Borosilicate glass is such a recent artistic medium (only about 50 years old) that new techniques, colors and tools are always emerging,” Dan said. “Many industry veterans claim this is an unmasterable medium.”
As a young child, Dan was always creative. Whether it was writing plays that starred his whole family leaving no one to watch the play or learning a new musical instrument. He comes from a long line of creative people from musicians to stone masons.
In 2009 Dan started attending national glass blowing events like The Best Bead Show in Tuscan Arizona and the Art Glass Invitational in Hilliards, Pennsylvania. “Any chance I get, I am always furthering my education on glass. Whether it’s taking the time to read up on a new color or going to a 6 day conference on glass techniques. In my 7 years of working with glass, I've really strived for perfection in my work. Many glass artists can execute amazing techniques but the attention to detail is what sets my work apart from theirs.”
Dan is currently writing a business plan to open up a glass studio in downtown Duluth, MN where he will offer classes, a glass art gallery, demonstrations, supplies, and studio space for other glass artists. Please check out nafglass.com to see Dan’s work.
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Andy Van Schyndle
Green Bay, WI
Best of Show
Welcome to the wonderful world of Wagalabagala, where we scribble, rub, blur, and even sometimes erase the line between fantasy and reality. The world I live in is called Wagalabagala, and this entire world resides in the cloudy vapor that occupies the space in my cranium. This world is a mirrored, somewhat distorted reflection, of the natural world around us. As an artist I take it as my job to use my fuzzy sticks and any other tools around me to bring this universe out into the real world
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