 |
|---|
Dave Lovejoy
Tel: 626-660-6381
http://lovejoyart.weebly.com
lovejoyart@gmail.com
Though primarily a ceramicist, David Lovejoy also sees himself as a ‘thingmaker.’ Much of his artistic creativity has incorporated whatever materials can be found or come to hand, which are then re-purposed to fit the creative need.
David Lovejoy has been working as an artist and designer since the early 1980’s. A successful career in graphic design supported a long and leisurely arts education at several schools, where David focused his studies on ceramics, especially the technique of raku.
Raku is an ancient Japanese firing technique, centuries old. It was used as part of the traditional tea ceremony - if a bowl survived the harsh treatment of being pulled red hot from the fiery kiln and doused into water, it was worthy of being used for tea.
“I pull my work from the kiln at about 1800 degrees Fahrenheit, then put it into a metal container (which looks remarkably like a trash can) partially filled with combustible stuff, like shredded paper, sawdust, leaves and such. When hot pot meets dry flammables, flames appear.
The main ingredients of fire are heat, fuel and oxygen. When the metal container is closed, the fire is starved of oxygen. The fuel is still there, the heat is still there, so oxygen is chemically pulled from the glazes to keep that combustion going. This is a really simplified explanation of a reduction atmosphere, and is the highly scientific reason you can get a myriad of colors from a single glaze.
Now lots of people say that's not Raku - and they're right. Strictly speaking, it's not. But it is a modification of that process, it does have similarities, and where I come from, it's being taught to kids as Raku. So if you disagree or think I'm being overly simplistic, that's what email is for.
I also do some pit firing. Just as Raku has a rich Asian history, pit firing has its roots with the early Native American potters. I fire at the beach, digging out a pit in the sand and lining it with sawdust and manure. Then the work is stacked in the pit, together with wood, charcoal, copper and salt. The fire burns for about 4 hours, and the work is removed once it cools.”
Besides raku his work includes mixed-media sculptures, installations and assemblage.
He has won several awards, most recently Best in Show at Create/Fixate: 2009 and a grant from the City of Pasadena and has been named one of the “Art Stars of California” by Art in California magazine. His work has been exhibited in galleries and museums in California, Hawaii and Oregon and is in collections in the U.S. and Europe.
Representation
Balcony Gallery –Kailua, Hawaii
Cactus Gallery –Eagle Rock, California
Gallery at the End of the World – Altadena, California
Howeeduzzit Gallery – Alhambra, California
Phantom Gallery – Los Angeles, California
Xiem Gallery – Pasadena, California
Zimmer Museum The Art of Vision – Los Angeles, California
 |
 |
|---|---|
 |
 |
* None of the artworks may be copied or reproduced without the written permission of the Artist