August temps may be sizzling, but that doesn’t stop our artisans from playing with heat and flame. Some of the coolest work happens when our makers use the hottest methods with glass, wax and clay. Check out these one-of-a-kind artisan-crafted items or – even better – take break from the summer heat and come see them in the air-conditioned comfort of our gallery.
Tammy Rudd, Floral Necklace
Jewelry artist Tammy Rudd works magic with glass and intense heat. To create her luminous flameworked beads, she uses an oxygen-propane torch that heats up to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. With molten glass and deft hands, Tammy crafts beads that glow with color and mesmerizing detail. Each of her beads is a tiny work of art that creates fascinating focal points in her necklaces and earrings.
Marty Biernbaum, Ocean Encaustic Painting
Marty Biernbaum’s abstract encaustic paintings bring to mind calming landscapes of sky and sea. She begins her paintings by heating beeswax in an electric frying pan and combining it with resin and pigments before applying it to a natural wood support. She uses a propane torch to melt and stabilize as many as 15 layers of wax to complete each painting. This intense heat process helps develop her colors and smooth the surface. Encaustic paintings don’t need to be framed, so the ethereal and expressive beauty of Marty’s work radiates from the surfaces of her art.
Fred Prudhomme, Lidded Jar
You’ll find the work of six talented ceramic artists in the gallery and all rely on the tremendous heat of their kilns to convert clay into strong, resilient forms. Typically two trips through the kiln are required (one for bisque firing, another for glaze firing) at temperatures well above 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.
Just one example of the gallery’s talent is Fred Prudhomme who makes functional pottery in stoneware by both wheel throwing pots and hand-building vessels. Fred’s highly individualized pieces include mugs, bowls, plates and lidded vessels. With crisp lines, warm colors and distinctive glazing, his work feels good in your hands and looks wonderful in your home.
Melanie Davidson, Tree Ring Bowl
The newest of the our ceramic artists is Melanie Davidson. Melanie creates her work by layering different clay bodies of varying colors, then using various techniques to manipulate the joined clay bodies to produce patterns, as well as free random effects. Her agateware pieces are clear gazed to showcase this technique and the natural clay body. Many pieces, such as her hurricane, sediment and tree ring bowls, are inspired by nature. All are both functional and beautiful.
No doubt about it, this art is hot! So step into the cool world of Charleston Crafts to discover all our hand-crafted items. We look forward to seeing you soon! The gallery is currently open Tuesday-Sunday 11am-6pm.
