Senior Thesis Art Exhibition Combines Spiritual with Unattainable

Susan Harmon
Managing Editor

   With over 21 art pieces created in only one semester, Josh Gibson’s senior thesis art exhibition held Dec. 3 combined the spiritual with the unattainable through the art of ceramics.

Courtesy of Eric Bell

Ewer and cups -  Gibson's ewer, or pitcher, serves as a functional piece or as a aesthetic piece. From making ewers, Gibson then explored making teapots and large vessels.

   Though Gibson’s original passion started with drawing and painting, Gibson first found interest in ceramics when Assistant Professor of Art Scott Lykens demoed before becoming a faculty member at the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

   “Scott wouldn’t even have to look at what he was doing on the wheel. As Scott talked, I was engrossed by the use of his hands and how he made the clay take the form of what he wished,” Gibson said.

   As Gibson’s passion for ceramics evolved, Gibson started making thick and heavy vase forms, which lead Gibson to investigate the proper way to make the piece. Finding his choice of glaze, crystalline, unsatisfactory, Gibson strayed away from aesthetic art and explored functional art such as ewers. An artist creates a ewer, or pitcher, with a base, oval body and flaring spout, which serves as a functional piece or, if desired, an aesthetic piece as well. Gibson then moved to making teapots.

   Junior Art major Lauren Huey said, “Josh’s artwork is smooth and flowing. The glaze is perfect!”

   Gibson said he always desired to make the perfect teapot, but the teapot doesn’t allow him to have a larger form to create an optimum curve, the area where one’s eye tends to focus.

   “Artist Claire Illian says because it (teapots) is such a seductive form for beginners it’s hard to make it come together the way it should,” Gibson explained.

   Whereas teapots use a single lump of clay, larger vessels use more clay, causing difficulty in pulling the clay to gain height.  Gibson found making two cylinders from two lumps of clay then placing one cylinder on top of the other allows more efficiency when smoothing the curve of the vessel.

   “Larger vessels allow more visual impact,” Tom Richard, professor of Art, said.

   Once Gibson mastered creating large vessels, Gibson found the dynamic of the piece changed when one attaches a handle whether it serves as functional or aesthetic. Gibson finds enjoyment in making both functional and aesthetic ceramics.

   “People, in general, are all vessels because we hold things inside. Functional ceramics show how you pour yourself out,” said Gibson.

   Most of Gibson’s pieces use earth tones because it symbolizes getting back to Earth and spirituality. Gibson plans to continue using art to express faith and hopefully lead others to Christ while attending graduate school.

   Gibson’s exhibit can be seen at the art gallery in the Fred J. Taylor Library and Technology Center through Jan. 23.

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