Chris Edwards
Artist Chris Edwards (1985, Des Moines, Iowa) finds his inspiration in things often overlooked by others.
To begin to understand the bright and sometimes tacky colors (self professed by the artist) used by Edwards, you have to rewind back to what his household watched on TV in the 1980’s. Shows like Designing Women, Agatha Christie and teen pop culture provided the campy technicolor palette that stuck with the artist. His current work, including ceramic bowls, cups, vases and platters, show off pairings of colors and patterns few of us would think to put together.
Edwards has been honing his aesthetic for a long time, and his college experience gave him the time to delve into what drives his creativity today. His work centers on the appreciation of every day objects. Most of us would look past unremarkable items, but Edwards heightens them by capturing their spirit in his ceramics and drawings. During his time as a graduate student at the School of the Art Institute Chicago (MFA in painting, 2011), the artist found discarded photo albums from the 1940’s in the dumpster behind his apartment. The books were filled with the exuberant life of an elderly gay neighbor, who passed away shortly after Edwards found them. In a way it was both a vehicle to remember a life lived, as well as enshrining interiors and snippets of fabric and wallpaper as seen in the photographs. He used mundane details in these snapshots to inspire his 2-D work for his graduate studies. His thesis revolved around the outfits actress Jessica Fletcher wore from every episode of Murder She Wrote (see them - www.chrisedwardsart.com). The unusual photo albums grew an appreciation in Edwards, who continues to base his work around quiet details he finds beautiful.
Edwards started hand building in ceramics during his undergraduate days at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia (BA in Studio Art and Sociology 2007). He attempted throwing on the wheel a few times but didn’t like the results enough to continue. After his degrees, Edwards looked for the perfect vehicle to act as a canvas for the designs and colors imprinted in his thoughts. He decided that pottery might serve him well, and he joined Lincoln Square Pottery Studio – Learning Center three years ago. He tackled the wheel and has been pushing his technique on a weekly basis. The artist is prolific in his quest to throw lighter and larger work. Edwards says that part of the appeal of putting such spontaneous and colorful glaze expressions on his vessels is that it’s unexpected. Functional pottery tends to reflect more traditional decorations, which aesthetically match its delicate curves. Edwards’ visual style goes in the way of convention; the punchy, almost fabric-like patterns practically leap off his surfaces. In a way they are miss-matched to the medium, but that’s what makes them so appealing.
Edwards’ compositions never repeat; each piece stands uniquely alone, even if they are created as part of a set. The woven patterns have a foot in the Gee’s Bend Quilt makers, while the hues are reminiscent of Judy Ledgerwood’s work. John Waters, happiness, queerness and bold, unusual pairings is what make Edwards smile.
In his quest to capture and appreciate the common things around him, Edwards has recently taken another step in his process. After bringing his finished vessels home, the artist creates still life drawings from the original work. To capture the jubilant feeling of the pieces, he uses vinyl sticker paper to mimic the intensity. The drawings (done on wood board backing) pay homage to the ceramics, and the ceramics capture the energy of the objects Edwards silently loves. The work makes him happy, and it’s this relationship with the process, the original objects, and the people who own and appreciate his work that makes it all worth it for him.
To see Edwards’ work in person, please stop by Oggi Gallery in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. The three-person show, which is titled “Creature Comforts”, features his ceramics and corresponding vinyl drawings. The opening is Friday, May 3rd, at 7pm, and runs through May.