Gorgeous, expertly-formed works from Minneapolis ceramist Ernest Miller attest to his motto: “I like clay. A lot.” His passion for the material leads the artist and instructor to create both his signature crystalline-glazed porcelain vessels and plates and the utilitarian stoneware made as teaching examples.
In 1998, Ernest earned his BA at Eastern Illinois University. “In the ceramics studio,” he recalls, “I had the opportunity to work with stoneware and porcelain, and to finish with raku firing, soda/salt firing, wood firing, reduction firing, and crystalline glazing. During this time, I was able to express myself prolifically and the love of clay became unmistakably evident.” Ernest worked as a potter in Champaign, IL before moving to Minneapolis in 2000 to establish a studio and a busy exhibition and teaching schedule.
“My fascination with classical vessel forms and turn of the century art pottery influences me heavily,” he states. “The harmony of surface and form is challenging and addicting. Art should exist in our ordinary everyday life not just in extreme situations or as an abnormality. In reaction to this, I continue to create functional objects for daily use. Working with past traditions and new ideas I hope to convey a classic contemporary sensibility in the finished pieces.”
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