Arthur Halvorsen Channels His Inner-child in Ceramic Art

Spending time with a child, you are constantly reminded of the beautiful naivety that exists in the early years of life. You cannot help but laugh, and wonder where your innocence went. Arthur Halvorsen has harnessed the filterless spirit of kids and infused it seamlessly into each step of his ceramic art practice.

The Massachusetts-based ceramic artist received his BFA from the Maine College of Art in 2007. His smart, childlike style has won him national recognition in the pottery community, recently exhibiting in Seeing Red, at the Red Lodge Clay Center; MT, and in NCECA’s contemporary ceramics exhibition The State of Clay at the Fuller Craft Museum; MA. Using earthenware and variety of clay techniques including, dry-throwing, bisque molds, slip, underglaze, stamps, sprig molds, and printmaking, Halvorsen achieves work that is unashamedly FUN.

Halvorsen explains the roots of his inspiration, “Vivienne Westwood once said “I’m not trying to do something different, I’m trying to do the same thing but in a different way.” This quote resonates with me. I’m not trying to reinvent plates, cups or bowls, but to make pieces infused with my own flavor and put my mark on the world. My pieces contain this essence of fun and joy. Nothing succeeds like excess and so I decorate over the top; layering patterns with images of animals that I have a connection and infinity to are critical in my studio practice.”

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