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Clay Sculptor Exhibits in Yost Gallery

published October 24, 2011

The artwork of clay sculptor Jed Schlegel will be on display in the Walter Yost Art Gallery on the campus of Highland Community College from October 10 through November 10. The Yost Gallery is open to the public from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm each weekday.

Jed Schlegel is simply doing with his artwork what he really enjoyed as a kid – getting muddy and playing with fire. The results of his play with mud and fire have come a long way. The compositions, textures, and images of his artwork evoke a restful, peaceful, and enjoyable experience. The pieces in this exhibit were inspired by his kayaking and hiking trips in the Grand Canyon.

Schlegel says he is “a self directed studio artist and have been addicted to clay for more than twenty years. I work with white stoneware and porcelain, fired to cone 10 in a gas reduction atmosphere. Most of my functional work is wheel thrown and then altered. Sculptural work can involve many types of construction. Attention to form and an emphasis on craftsmanship are the foundational elements and the driving force of what I do.”

“Inspiration for me is often derived from nature or the very process of working with clay. The marks left on the surface from the hand or tools, the twist imparted by the wheel, or the way the flame works its way through the kiln touching each piece differently. Each of these things can solidify my current direction or inspire a new tangent.”

My goal is to be able to create pieces that beg one to reach out and touch the surface, follow the edge of the form with one’s hands and eyes, or incite curiosity as to what journey the clay must have taken to have ended up in its final form.”

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