Katie Argyle: It's All in Black and White, Prints and Pots

This week's featured artist is Katie Argyle. She is sharing with us her exciting prints and pottery, and some of the thinking and inspiration that leads to her wonderful work.

I love black and white. The challenge of communicating colourful, complicated images using only black and white is an exciting thing to me. For this year's studio tour I will be featuring relief prints as well as my hand built pots.

Self Portrait Wtih Door (woodblock print 11x14)

I am someone who thrives on the process involved in creating an object. I want to know my materials. I strive to master my process: from the tools I use (sharp gougers, ceramic carving loops, metal scribes, rubber rollers) to the materials I need to make the thing (clay, underglazes, glazes, wood blocks, linoleum, printing ink).

Upgrade (woodblock print, 18" x 40")

Kitchen Wizard (ceramic platter with black underglaze, sgraffito, approx 14" diameter)

Mastery takes time. It requires patience and diligence. It's a slow process. Neither of my preferred mediums, ceramics and printmaking, are about instant gratification. At every stage there is work that needs doing, to progress to the next state and then eventually to the end. Sometimes, the work doesn't make it there. Is it a loss? No! For me, the goal is never to hurry or to make something to sell. That does not motivate me at all. I am internally driven to learn something new, to challenge myself, and always to make the thing I have never seen before.

You Are Here (test: You Are Here - linocut - 4" x 6")

And sometimes, I just want to make myself laugh.

Come see my work at The Burr House stop of the studio tour. during the weekend of October 15th and 16th.  Until then, my work can also be found on my website, katieargyle.com and I blog at plasticmasters.blogspot.com. In person I can be found on the weekends at two local markets this summer. Check my website for locations and dates.