Artist research, Peter Voulkos

Peter Voulkos, an American artist was born on the 29^th of January 1924 is known for creating more expressive abstract work from ceramic material. Born to a Greek family Voulkos began his studies in art at the Montana State University in Bozeman. In his university Voulkos studied in both painting and ceramics gaining experience in both fields.

Voulkos’ later career would have him involved with creating functional dinnerware; he would continue to create ceramics in the traditional sense until 1953. This would be creating smoother, more carefully crafted, and conventional ceramics. During a summer session Voulkos while teaching at the Black Mountain College and approached his craft in a different way.  It was here that he started to take up a more expressive view putting aside what he had been taught. As a result Voulkos has been recognised as one of America’s most significant sculptors of the 20^th century.

On February 15^th, 2002 Voulkos died from a heart attack. During his life time Voulkos has created a number of works which he has been recognised. Alongside representing his work in major museums and winning multiple awards he has also exhibited around 100 solo shows.

The work that has been recognised has often been created from ceramic material. Looking at the work it can be seen that each piece is individual having a varied weight, shape and form. Common features that appear across voulkos’ work are that the surface of his work is uneven and full of raw emotion. As a result it does not take up the form of traditional pottery but instead a number of different shapes that are both tall and wide. Often or not the forms have a lot of weight and dwarfing traditional ceramics in size. With this the clay has been both shaped by hand and worked with using tools to give gaps and holes. The reddish, brown material is sometimes accommodated by a brighter more vibrate stroke of colour.