SHAPIRO Jeff, ceramics, permanent artist of Galerie Capazza since 2012

Perspective, Context, and Relativity

« I look with the intent of perceiving the artistic elements of what I am viewing rather than the intellectual dissection of information. To that end, I want to be moved and inspired, and respond to the potential of experiences I encounter.
I approach the process of making as a creative process giving myself the freedom to improvise, or run with an idea and see where it takes me, to keep the work alive and evolving. If I do not approach my work in this way, then the work stagnates and will precipitate the beginning of the end, which leads to a slow artistic death.
I am interested in making my own work more fluid. This may be the result of softer clay, or more spontaneous forming techniques: less attention spent on technical perfection and more time spent on understanding the ‘wholistic’ approach to concept, material and process. I want to create in a place of ‘abandonment’.
In the wood fire genre, the romanticism of the firing effects often dictates or overshadows the other aspects of the work. But actually, the material and forming process, as well as surface color and texture must be compatible. The firing alone cannot make up for weaknesses that may exist in either the clay character or forming process.
I respond to the beauty that exists in the imperfections of Nature; a sense that perfection and symmetry as we know it is but one form of beauty, but in actuality, beauty exists. It is for us to behold, discover and expand our vision to appreciate a beauty that exists outside of a predetermined western perception.
A torn leaf… a crack in a cement wall… a twisted branch…a shaft of lightning cutting through the night sky, all have the potential to be dimensions of beauty that feed the artistic soul and creative process.

Jeff Shapiro