6th Annual Cup Show Awards

Thank you to everyone who attended the Opening Reception for the 6th Annual Cup Show at the Jansen Art Center on Thursday, June 7, 2018. We welcomed over 200 people to the J for the opening reception, which also included our four additional summer exhibits, Artist-In-Residence at Glacier National Park: Photographs by Norman E. Riley, Along Water’s Edge: Watercolors by Peggy Woods, Organic Shape and Perception: Paintings by Ria Harboe and Nancy Canyon, and the 2018 Summer Juried Exhibit.

The 6th Annual Cup Show received 127 submissions from 49 artists from 9 cities in Washington state, 4 cities in British Columbia, and 10 states outside of Washington (Alaska, California, Colorado, Louisianna, Massachusetts, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia). There were 101 cups accepted into the exhibit.

The judges for this year’s show were Ann Marie Cooper. Ryan Kelly, Brian O’Neill, Jeremy Noet and Jesse Rasmussen. There are nine awards totaling over $1000 in cash and prizes. Prizes were made possible from the exhibit sponsors; The Mount Baker Rotary Club, Griffin Grip, Tony’s Coffee & Teas, Clay Art Center, Washington Clay Arts Association, Whatcom Artists of Clay & Kiln and the Fraser Valley Potters Guild.

During the reception, guests were invited to vote for the People’s Choice Award. We handed out over 150 ballots. The judges selected the winners for the eight additional awards  (Judge’s Choice, First Place, Second Place, Third Place, Most Inventive Use of Technique and Material, Most Inventive Concept and two Honorable Mention awards).

To inquire about purchasing any of the cups from the 6th Annual Cup Show, please visit the Gallery Shop at the Jansen Art Center or call 360-354-3600.

Here are this year’s winning cups:

Mark Chuck, Trout Yunomi
Kingsley, Pennsylvania
$65.00

ARTIST STATEMENT
As not just a devoted ceramic artist and craftsman, but a devoted fisherman, my creative process starts on the river – a contemplative time and place where I think of my work, which I see as a reflection of interactions with the fish and the environment they exist in. Guided by memories of these interactions, of what has taken place between myself, the air, the wind, water, light and the magnificent creature that has water as it’s home which I hopefully find at the end of my line, I bring teapots, platters, and vessels to the table. The gift in fishing is in the element of surprise — the reward which isn’t revealed until you pull the fish from the water. It is in the strike, the action. You marvel at the beauty of the creation you hold gently in your hands. You see it, touch it. I have the same experience each time I pull a newly fired piece out of the kiln.

Chanakarn Semachai, Violet Dino Mug
Edinboro, Pennsylvania
$55.00

ARTIST STATEMENT
Clay keeps me calm and excited at the same time. Ceramic is a medium that I use to express my perception of our twisted world. I am inspired by everything I encounter whether I am aware of it or not. Humor and weirdness are always finding their way into my ceramic sculptures. I enjoy every stage of the hand building process because I want to feel every part of it, ensuring that I give life to my pieces.

My role as an explorer was initiated when I was a child and my doodles were treated as treasures. I recently moved from Thailand to pursue my Master of Fine Arts degree and have unavoidably been immersed in an entirely new culture. I have faced new and unforgettable experiences which have changed my life and the way I make art. Living in a totally unfamiliar world, with lasting impressions, has affected my work. In the beginning, I found that I was slowly
and unconsciously changing into a new person and trying hard to blend into a new society and culture. After a period of time, I shifted back to myself, although a new, better version of myself. I realized that people from all around the world share similar feelings and you don’t need to fit in to
be happy. Everybody is unique and that is what makes people special as individuals.

I aim to create sculpture and functional ware that encourages people to be unique, special and themselves, just like a lucky penny. I want to make ceramic art that brightens people’s lives and make them feel special in their everyday routines. I leave pinching marks and asymmetries on my sculpture and pottery as I cherish the imperfection on the surface.

Ashley Bevington, Purple Poodle Raspberry Cone Cup
Lakeville, Ohio
$85.00

ARTIST STATEMENT
My work is a sculptural embodiment of ambivalence. Humans are contradictory in nature since we are constantly growing and, hopefully, developing personal intellect. Knowing what I currently believe could drastically change over time is terrifying yet intriguing. I have a deep fear of being wrong, but I’m also excited to grow and learn from mistakes. The pieces I create are manifestations of these thoughts and insecurities. I have found that having lowered expectations is a key to happiness. I seek humor in daily life, past trauma, contradictions, and mortality in an attempt to avoid ruining a good day. I cope with the challenges of life by finding the positive in the negative. The characters I create are also on this quest. Even when they’re smiling they seem to be experiencing inner turmoil. They are negative personalities being positive, and the feeling of this strain is depicted in their expression. My pieces serve as poignant yet hopeful symbols of the human experience. My figurative work often takes on a monster-like quality, as if they are my inner demons, baggage from past trauma, or current fears manifesting into an identity. I aim to communicate common human emotions that are often considered taboo as a way of making people feel comfortable being human.

I often personify dogs in my ceramic work. Placing man’s best friend in dire yet relatable situations seems to force empathy onto the viewer more than simply using a human form. I use poodles a lot because I like the contradiction of dogs being thought of as a masculine pet, yet poodles are deemed feminine. They are a symbol of feminism. Poodles were also bred to be hunting dogs but have evolved into more of a show breed. I feel the same as the poodle, a country bumpkin in the big art world.

Cheryl Stapleton, Shell Cup
Vancouver, British Columbia
$60.00

ARTIST STATEMENT
I work in a few pottery studios firing hundreds of pots for students but hope one day to fire hundreds of pots just for me!

Ed Escobedo, Footed Ladel (Drinking Cup)
San Antonio, Texas
$60.00

ARTIST STATEMENT
Being that the drinking vessel is an intimate object of fine art, I expand on that notion using found and non-related objects to add to their form and function. A variety of knobs and objects are utilized into make shift finger rests and handles that contrast with the surface of the vessel while adding comfort and engagement with the hand and fingers. My goal is to add humor and absurdity into the most familiar form of ceramic wares.

Doris Alcorn, Flipped Zebra
Auke Bay, Alaska
NFS

ARTIST STATEMENT
As a farmer’s daughter and later as a wildlife biologist, animals have always been a central theme in my life. I love their forms and enjoy the technical challenge of morphing them into functional ceramic pieces. My cups are first thrown on the wheel, then altered and sculptural elements added. Although there is a high mortality in wood and soda firing, there is also high satisfaction when these pieces survive, actually work, and finally migrate into the world.

James Kelly, Mod Mug
Denver, Colorado
$70.00

ARTIST STATEMENT
Clay is a medium of endless possibilities. It creates an intimate and tactile experience like no other. Each piece is an opportunity for new discovery and growth. My inspiration draws from many places, but mainly from the clean lines of mid-century modern architecture and furniture to the organic randomness of nature. I find my greatest challenge is finding that balance of a simple form with a pleasing surface. The soda firing process helps me blend that balance of modern forms with organic surfaces. The act of making is what keeps me interested. There is no deep reasoning behind what I make, I simply want to make aesthetically pleasing pots for everyday enjoyment.

Taylor Myers, Unraveling
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
$65.00

ARTIST STATEMENT
My pieces often feel like portraits of myself. The forms are voluptuous yet slightly awkward. They are confident and statuesque, while also being lumpy. I am interested in this dichotomy. My artwork reflects my perception of beauty and femininity.

The work is always adorned. The adornment relates to my need to express my internal voice outwardly. I use symbols, specific colors, and repetition of pattern to act as a language for this voice. I draw inspiration from American Traditional tattoo art, mid-century fashion, and occult imagery.
I am most comfortable with what is unsettling, awkward, and seemingly strange.

Doris Alcorn, Flipped Zebra
Auke Bay, Alaska
NFS

ARTIST STATEMENT
As a farmer’s daughter and later as a wildlife biologist, animals have always been a central theme in my life. I love their forms and enjoy the technical challenge of morphing them into functional ceramic pieces. My cups are first thrown on the wheel, then altered and sculptural elements added. Although there is a high mortality in wood and soda firing, there is also high satisfaction when these pieces survive, actually work, and finally migrate into the world.

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