Writing 6 (blog posts) Artist Lecture

Sarah Perkins, "Winged Container"

What first struck me about Sarah Perkins's work was the graceful nature of her sculpting and metalwork. At first I thought it was ceramic, but was surprised to learn that it was mainly metal. The above pictured vessel was one of my favorites she showed. I love how the colors transition from blue to brown, it produces a very soothing effect. I also like how the silver stands out from the blue, and how swirly the designs around the brim are. During the Q&A session she mentioned that she started out with jewelry in High School and it shows with intricate designs like the swirls. During her talk she said she was inspired by nature and the world around her, and I can definitely see where that influence comes in with pieces like this:

Sarah Perkins, "Cactus Container II"

Her work has such a great tactile sense to it, I really want to pick it up and touch it. She said she sometimes achieves this effect by taking the gloss out of her final products, as she usually finds pieces with a high amount of gloss uninviting. She said her work was about a mixing of human and organic (straight lines vs. curvy, etc.). An example of that concept is shown in this piece:

Sarah Perkins, "Orchid Vessel"

The Orchid Vessel mixes straight, rigid lines with the softer, organic shapes of the top rim. She says she's really drawn to the form of the vessel. Another thing she mentioned interest in was the concept of 'ritual' things, and how they can be intriguing and also make one feel like an outsider if the object's purpose is unknown. She cited many trips to churches, mosques, and other places of worship and mentioned how interested she was by the ritual objects displayed there. Taking that inspiration, she creates works like this:

Sarah Perkins, "Rosewater Itradan"

In the vessel (Called an Itradan), there is usually some kind of liquid (In this case rose water). And each cup has a special pigment in it. Each cup means something, and even if it's not known what they're still interesting to look at. Ms. Perkins has actually made several series of cups which she says she wanted to be, "Similar, but not identical."

Ms. Perkins ended her talk by speaking briefly about Cairo, Indiana. Cairo is a town by a river that has fallen by the wayside and into deep disrepair. Perkins has teamed up with another artist, Gwen Walstrand, to produce a series of work based on photos taken of the town. Perkins's contributions consist of large bowls with scenes from or inspired by the town re-created on them.

Sarah Perkins, title unknown

Sarah Perkins was fun to listen to, and seems like a very lively person. Her work was very nicely presented and her powerpoint was simple, and uncluttered. Therefore it was very easy to follow and did lend a more professional feel to her presentation. I looked at her website to see more of her work, and among other pieces in her gallery I think I found my favorite:

Sarah Perkins, "Black Lined Container"

I really like how smooth this one is, and I've always been a fan of black, silver, and blue together. The blue enamel against the black is so pretty, and it's just enough to make it a wonderful accent color. I've always loved containers, finding that the more ornate they are that they often hold a greater degree of mystery. While this vessel is far from the most ornate that Perkins has produced, to me it's the most intriguing.