Keith Schneider
The ceramic figure, with its rich and varied history, has been a great source of inspiration for me. By taking liberties with abstracting, exaggerating, synthesizing and stylizing as I see necessary for each of my pieces, I attempt to create individual “characters” that, through gesture, facial expression, color, and texture, possess their own unusual personalities and evoke their own particular emotions. I like using the idea of the figure as a thematic point of departure because it allows for such a broad range of interpretation and can be approached from so many different directions.
My pieces are constructed from low-fire clay and fired to cone 03. Surface color is developed with underglazes, glazes, and stains. I often begin my pieces with a wide variety of wheel thrown forms and put them together in combination with other elements; sometimes extruded pieces, sometimes press-molded or handbuilt. During this process, I try not to be too cerebral, but instead, attempt to react directly to what is visually in front of me and trust my instincts.
Often, as I am working, these pieces take on a life of their own and it is interesting to me that some of my characters seem anxious and overwhelmed, some worried and perplexed, some quizzical and amused. As I live with these characters, I believe that they speak to me about myself.
Keith Schneider
Summer, 2008
