Ken Baskin Sculptures

Contemporary American ceramic artists Richard Hirsch, Scott Meyer and Ken Baskin's collaborative Crucible Project Sculpture was created in 2013 and is wood...

Contemporary American ceramic artists Richard Hirsch and Ken Baskin Ladle Presentation Sculpture was created in 2011. This piece is made of soda fired stoneware, saggar fired brick and steel. In the book "With Fire: Richard Hirsch, A Life Between Chance and Design" written by Scott Meyer, Ken Baskin said; "Working collaboratively is based upon a spirit of dedication and generosity, excellent communication, similar levels of ability and an alignment of passion and vision. Most importantly, the group must have mutual trust and respect. Without question, we all hold each other in the highest esteem. I have the utmost respect for everyone involved in The Crucible Project." This sculpture is signed by both artists and ships directly from the Crucible Show inventory located in Montevello, Al. (Literature: "With Fire: Richard Hirsch, A Life Between Chance and Design", Scott Meyer (Author), RIT Cary Graphic Arts Press 2012 - "Outside In, Collaboration" pgs. 106 - 121 / "Ladle Presentation" pictured on pg. 119) Richard Hirsch Brief Bio: In the field of contemporary ceramic, Rick Hirsch has earned an international reputation. He has achieved this recognition by engaging in numerous diversified professional activities. Through efforts in university teaching, exhibits, writing, lecturing and researching he has risen to worldwide prominence. In 1975, Hirsch co-authored a book entitled Raku, published by Watson-Guptill. This was the first comprehensive text to address the new innovations developing in the west that were transforming traditional Japanese Raku. Also, in the same year, Hirsch became a founding faculty member of The Program in Artistry at Boston University. Currently, Hirsch is a Professor Emeritus at The School for American Crafts which is a part of Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY. His university teaching career now spans well over four decades. Repeatedly, Hirsch has participated in several milestone exhibitions and publications. Significant shows include; The Evolution of American Art in Craft Media Since 1945; Echoes: Historical References in Contemporary Ceramics; American Ceramics Now; Raku: Origins, Impact and Contemporary Expression; and Convergences: The Presence of the Past in Contemporary American Ceramics. Frequently his work appears in book and magazine publications, such as; Overseas Contemporary Ceramic Art Classics by Baiming, China; Raku Investigations into Fire by David Jones, England; The History of American Ceramics from 1607 to the Present by Elaine Levin, New York; World Contemporary Ceramics by Baiming, China; and Firing, Philosophies within Contemporary Ceramic Practice by David Jones, England. Several museums have included his work for their permanent collections. These include; The Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh; The Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian Institute, Washington DC; The High Museum of Art, Atlanta; The Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse; The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri; The Taipei County Yinko Ceramics Museum, Taipei, Taiwan; and the George R. Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, Toronto, Canada. In 1984, Hirsch was elected as a permanent member of The International Ceramics Academy, a worldwide organization headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. A recipient of a William J. Fulbright Research Scholar Award in 2002, Hirsch has also received several Individual Artists Grants. Most recently he was honored by The Rochester Institute of Technology, with the Board of Trustees' Outstanding Scholarship Award. Recently Hirsch collaborated with Dr. Scott Meyer on his biography, the book is entitled With Fire: Richard Hirsch and is published by The Cary Graphic Arts Press at RIT, ISBN-13: 978-1-933360-97-3. Amid the ever-shifting sands of change and new trends that is prevalent in contemporary ceramics, Richard Hirsch has maintained his steadfast personal aesthetic and continues to make a significant contribution to his field. Ken Baskin Brief Bio: Kenneth Baskin received his BFA from College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan and earned his MFA from University of South Carolina. Presently he holds the position of Associate Professor of Art/Ceramics at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana. In 2007 Baskin was honored as one of the recipients of one of the National Council on Education in the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) Emerging Artist Awards. Recently he was honored by being selected for a solo exhibition of his ceramic sculptures at the Taipei County Yingge Ceramics Museum, Taipei, Taiwan; in conjunction with this exhibition he was also invited as a visiting artist, workshop instructor and lecturer at: Tainan National University of the Arts in Tainan, Taiwan and National Taiwan University of the Arts in Taipei. Baskin’s work has also been included in numerous group and solo exhibitions both nationally and internationally. Baskin’s creative research was the topic for an essay titled “20th Century...