ceramic committee's disapproval of a finishing

[ZestyCrafter]

My husband is a painter who also sculpts non functional ceramics using slabs and likes to jazz them up with paint, leafing, waxes, and special paints after the first firing.
While buyers usually don't bat an eye, other ceramic artists often give them grief for not sticking to traditional glazes.
This came to a head when a co-op's "ceramics committee" gave him the cold shoulder and rejected his work purely for being painted, even though they weren't functional, and some even had lowfire glazes.

I found this ridiculous and close minded.
I wonder if this rejection was just a smalltown mentality or if the wider ceramics world also turns up its nose at alternative finishes, because my husband really enjoys using them and can't see what the big fuss is all about.

Any comments and insights are welcome

 

[Raffy T.]

My husband is a painter who also sculpts non functional ceramics using slabs and likes to jazz them up with paint, leafing, waxes, and special paints after the first firing.
While buyers usually don't bat an eye, other ceramic artists often give them grief for not sticking to traditional glazes.
This came to a head when a co-op's "ceramics committee" gave him the cold shoulder and rejected his work purely for being painted, even though they weren't functional, and some even had lowfire glazes.

I found this ridiculous and close minded.
I wonder if this rejection was just a smalltown mentality or if the wider ceramics world also turns up its nose at alternative finishes, because my husband really enjoys using them and can't see what the big fuss is all about.

Any comments and insights are welcome

Your husband's work is valid! Painted ceramics are actually loved by a lot of people in art That's ridiculous and close-minded for that. I'm so sad for him. Just encourage him and even accompany him to other galleries open to sculptural ceramics. You'll find one!

 

[Skippyaust]

My husband is a painter who also sculpts non functional ceramics using slabs and likes to jazz them up with paint, leafing, waxes, and special paints after the first firing.
While buyers usually don't bat an eye, other ceramic artists often give them grief for not sticking to traditional glazes.
This came to a head when a co-op's "ceramics committee" gave him the cold shoulder and rejected his work purely for being painted, even though they weren't functional, and some even had lowfire glazes.

I found this ridiculous and close minded.
I wonder if this rejection was just a smalltown mentality or if the wider ceramics world also turns up its nose at alternative finishes, because my husband really enjoys using them and can't see what the big fuss is all about.

Any comments and insights are welcome

I remember being discouraged for making jewellery when I was a pottery (ceramics ) undergrad student in the 80's. I was making high fire beads and so forth. I was told they were not "functional". Well, excuse me for living. It seems I must have missed out on that class. The criticism did nothing to stop me as I was encouraged by my friends, family and people who loved and bought them. Of course there's a place for "non functional" ceramics, it's called Sculpture and Fine art. As long as you make sure your work is advertised "non functional" or "sculpture" people won't try to eat their breakfast off it! I have found loads of different mediums applied to fired pieces for design purposes. Maybe the snobs are still out there. Sorry to hear your husband is being discouraged. Tell him to keep at it.

 

[Sur le Nil]

Two words: Art evolves. Artists should feel free to explore and improve their art! What he's doing is called mixed media ceramics and I think it's pretty cool! hope your husband doesn't get discouraged by this, I would love to see his works if I can!