The Op Art Ceramics of Sara Moorhouse

Olly Op Art News August 24, 2013 0 Comment

Sara Moorhouse produces beautiful Op Art ceramic pieces out of her studio in Cardiff, Wales. Her work has been exhibited at the Royal College at CAL and at the Saatchi Gallery at Collect amongst other places.

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When doing her masters (in Cardiff at the UWIC School of Art and Design) in 2003, she started to explore colour and spacial perception in ceramics: “The work explores the ways in which spaces within landscape appear altered depending on the ever-changing colours of season, weather, time and farming. The bowls act as a canvas for paintings that distil specific landscape scenes, perceptibly altering the size, depth and shape of the form by the applied colour. The forms can be made to seem wider or narrower, deeper or shallower, heavier or lighter, or they may appear to undulate, bend, move or hover by the juxtaposition of finer lines. The viewing of both inner and outer surfaces together enables me to exploit colour connections and visual play from one side to another, emphasising or flattening the dimensionality of the form.”

Her latest series of work is called ‘Pulse’ of which she says:

“Through my work I explore the ways in which spaces within landscape appear altered depending on the ever-changing colours of season, weather and time. The conical forms act as canvases for paintings in which colours from landscape are distilled into bands, perceptibly altering the size, depth and shape of the form by the applied colour. Although landscape remains the original source, through my new works I have begun to explore the apparent movement and colour illusion achievable through the particular arrangements of colour and line.

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In my latest series ‘Pulse 1’, contrasting tones and varied band widths encourage the form to vibrate, pulsate and ‘breathe’. Lines either concur with the perspective of the form or do not. Inside and outside spaces contradict each other making the form increasingly uncertain as straight walls appear to curve one way and then another. Bold injections of colour at the top and base of the forms further animate them as the intense colour sings against the more monochrome linear arrangements. Furthermore, the colour adds to the uncertainty of the form as the external bright colour suggests an illusory foot and the upper bright band appears to tilt backwards, seeming to widen the form. These forms then stir and are alive and in that sense only appear in a temporary state.

In ‘Pulse 2’ equidistant lines on one surface contradict expanding lines on the other surface making the shape of the form, from inside to outside, appear uncertain. In the pair of forms ‘The Same Red’ the red bands in each are indeed the same but appear completely different due to the change in the neighbouring blues.”

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Sara’s work was recently featured in (September’s issue of) Homes and Antiques magazine. You can find out more about Sara including where to buy her work at her website SaraMoorhouse.com.

Stanford Slutsky

Olly Featured Artists August 20, 2013 11 Comments

Stanford Slutsky is an American artist, born in Pittsburgh, PA where at a young age he unearthed clay and started to make sculptures. In High school Stanford won numerous awards in jewellery designing and art. He moved to Florida 31 years ago where he became a full time working and producing artist. Most recent solo exhibitions to mention a few are, Coral Springs Museum of Art, The Ft Lauderdale Art Institute, Nathan D. Rosen Museum, Ft Lauderdale Museum of Art, and many more.

#270 Square Ball
Stanford Slutsky
24'' x 24'' x 2''
Mixed media — #270 Square Ball Stanford Slutsky 24” x 24” x 2” Mixed media

# 343 Quadraplex
Stanford Slutsky
34'' x 34''
Acrylic on canvas — # 343 Quadraplex Stanford Slutsky 34” x 34” Acrylic on canvas

#103 Forward
Stanford Slutsky
40'' circular canvas
Acrylic on canvas — #103 Forward Stanford Slutsky 40” circular canvas Acrylic on canvas

Did you study art? If so, where?

No. I am proud to say I am a self-taught artist. Being a visual person you could say I studied in the world of nature.

Why do you like Op Art?

As a child, magicians and magic acts fascinated me. There was something about the illusions they created that captured my imagination. I want that same vivid sense of illusions to be central in my artwork.

#248 Blue Movement
Stanford Slutsky
35'' x 40'' x 3''
Mixed media — #248 Blue Movement Stanford Slutsky 35” x 40” x 3” Mixed media

#308 Purple Square
Stanford Slutsky
24'' x 24''
Mixed media — #308 Purple Square Stanford Slutsky 24” x 24” Mixed media

#279 Dowel Hexagon
Stanford Slutsky
24'' x 24'' x 5''
Mixed media — #279 Dowel Hexagon Stanford Slutsky 24” x 24” x 5” Mixed media

How do you make your art? Do you use a computer?

No computer. I use any devise I can to sketch the idea that is on my mind. Being a self taught artist I create the thing out of my imagination and one piece leads me to another. When I am creating is when I am at peace and the happiest.

What’s the process for making one of your artworks?

My most recent body of work is of mixed media. After sketching my idea I then start cutting wooden dowels or medium density fiberboard to the length and shape I desire and then start mixing acrylic paints to apply. The paint is applied after much sanding and priming of the wood.

# 108 Angles & Dots
Stanford Slutsky
45'' x 52'' Shaped Canvas
Acrylic on canvas — # 108 Angles & Dots Stanford Slutsky 45” x 52” Shaped Canvas Acrylic on canvas

# 342 Dream Weaver V
Stanford Slutsky
24'' x 24''
Acrylic on canvas — # 342 Dream Weaver V Stanford Slutsky 24” x 24” Acrylic on canvas

#133 Random
Stanford Slutsky
38'' x 42''
Acrylic on canvas — #133 Random Stanford Slutsky 38” x 42” Acrylic on canvas

Any other art you like and other artists that inspire or have inspired you?

I am inspired by Victor Vasarely and Yaccov Agam, but I appreciate all forms of art.

How would you describe your art?

Today, all of my artwork creates the illusion of three-dimensionality and movement. I achieve these effects by juxtaposing hard-edged color patterns that disrupt the normal process of vision. Some shapes of color may seem to advance and then recede and others appear to pulsate in waves. It is a passionate and painstaking, semi-scientific approach to painting and mixed media constructions based on the manipulation of optical devices, and one which depends on subtle color gradations, systematic chromatic harmonic lines and shapes.