Jan 28 — Feb 14, 2010
Arts Prescott Cooperative Gallery-Heart of Whiskey Row
Tom Alward
“Under the Ashes”
Wood-Fired Ceramics
Closing Reception: Feb 12,
6pm to 8:30pm
After a few
introductions to clay as a young adult, Tom Alward began to pursue ceramics on
a serious level in 2002. Studying and
working at a community college propelled him to later enroll at Northern
Arizona University (NAU) in 2005, to obtain a BFA in Ceramics.
It was in
Flagstaff and NAU that Tom learned about many new facets of ceramics. He quickly became immersed in the exciting
and challenging process of wood firing, which ended up revolutionizing his
whole perception of the medium. This new
technique allowed him to see the beauty of imperfections, uncertainty, and
natural splendor. Pots could suddenly be
transformed, naturally colored and glazed by flame patterns and the build up of
melted ash. It also made him take a
deeper look at nature, to up close textures and surfaces, that eventually began
to influence his style into a more loose and organic expression. Being an Arizona native also exposed him to
the dramatic and contrasting landscapes of the southwest, which played an
obvious roll in his background and inspiration as an artist.
Tom went on to
learn the importance of working with others in a community, while also
completing the design and construction of a wood burning kiln on the NAU campus
during his senior year. After
graduating, he was accepted in a residency program in Virginia at the Cub Creek
Foundation, where he focused immensely on his work and the incorporation of
local clays. As the second part of a
post-graduate research grant he was awarded to continue his studies, Tom
traveled overseas and worked with many wood fire artists along Australia’s
eastern coast. This trip became an
invaluable experience, which demonstrated real life aspects of studio ceramics
and non-academic situations, along with vastly different landscapes, clays, and
processes.
Thus far, Tom
has shown his work in numerous juried shows and solo exhibitions across the
country, as well as in Australia. Being
back in Arizona now, Tom Alward aims to continue wood-fired ceramics in contemporary
contexts, and anticipates the use of more indigenous clays to bring further
meaning and location into our daily lives.
Ultimately, Tom says he is seeking ‘a sense of place’ in his latest
work, to reaffirm a connection to natural landscapes and the places we live.