Curtis Benzle




From the tactile magic of malleable clay, to the visual temptation of luminous, fused silica in translucent porcelain, ceramic materials excite my senses.
Specific inspiration for my work follows a journey through the annals of ceramic art history. An early encounter with the “eggshell” wares of Asia encouraged me to test the limits of both myself and my materials. The Momoyama and Muromachi Periods in Japan, with their integration of chance occurrence as part of the creative process, led me to an acceptance of the physical limits of clay. This also opened the door to the sophisticated celebration, through Kintsugi repair practice, of an understanding that those limits are the nexus of a personal pursuit of perfection and porcelain’s eventual submission to the molecular strain of extreme temperature.
This “journey” is rounded out by a persistent fascination with the intricately patterned porcelains produced throughout the finest factories and studios of Europe and Asia. Who can visit the accomplishments of Meissen, Limoges, the Imperial Porcelains of Russia or the Imari Period in Japan and not be compelled to pattern?
Pattern, color and light have propelled personal, creative urges throughout my career and provide every indication of a continued quest.