NWMAC Exhibit Celebrations: The Ceramic Art of Betsy Saurdiff
Celebrations: The Ceramic Art of Betsy Saurdiff
Northwest Minnesota Arts Council Gallery
NCTC in Thief River Falls through February 28
Artist Reception Saturday, February 12 from 3 to 5 pm
The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council (NWMAC) is pleased to announce Celebrations: The Ceramic Art of Betsy Saurdiff. The exhibit is open through February 28 at the NWMAC Gallery at Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River Falls.
Celebrations: The Ceramic Art of Betsy Saurdiff at NWMAC Gallery in Thief River Falls at NCTC
People love to celebrate special occasions. This new collection of pottery will make these celebrations even more special. We serve birthday cakes on pedestal stands to elevate the celebration both literally and figuratively. We can use “potluck pots” at picnics and reunions to keep our salads safe and cool because of the lower ice compartment. Graduates appreciate mugs with the two-word inspirational sayings. Little covered jars hold special treasures for any occasion. Decanters with matching cups also make drinking juice, liquor or wine more special. Punch bowls bring back memories of celebrations like baptisms, confirmations and birthdays. Somehow the punch seems to taste better out of a punchbowl.
Celebrations: The Ceramic Art of Betsy Saurdiff
The woven-handle baskets and the stilted baskets are unique centerpieces and could be filled with anything from fresh flowers to candy. Serving platters and bowls, butter dishes and cheese bells all make special meals more enjoyable. Fresh fruit is beautiful in a berry bowl, which can be used to wash and serve fresh fruit.
The ultimate celebration is the celebration of life. Artist Saurdiff explained, “I explored the classic urn form, which I threw in one piece on the potter’s wheel. I was motivated to create urns when I went to the funeral of my high school art teacher, who introduced me to clay. He had made his own funerary urn in a style I recognized right away as being his own. Some art is put on the shelf or on the wall without interaction, a passive statement by the artist to be interpreted by the viewer. Functional pottery crosses this divide because it is meant to be touched and used, a conversation between the pottery and the user. This is why I make functional pottery. I hope you enjoy the exhibit.”
Betsy Saurdiff lives in Grygla and studied Art and German at Bemidji State University and the University of Minnesota. Highlights of her career include two McKnight Fellowship Awards, two Merit Awards at the NW MN Arts Council exhibit and Art Advocate of the Year. She has sold her functional pottery at local businesses and art fairs. She recently retired from teaching and began selling her pottery online. You can find her at https://bettspottery.com/.
Saurdiff shared, “I really enjoyed the challenge of creating a new body of work for the exhibit. I pushed myself to create more complex and technically challenging pieces. It was liberating to explore new forms such as the baskets, urns, punch bowl sets and decanter sets. I would give myself "assignments" to try the new forms and repeat them until I felt that I had mastered them somewhat. That's why there are multiples, often in different glaze colors. I limited myself to a few glaze combinations to unify the exhibit. In fact, the exhibit is organized primarily by color. My personal favorite is the "Red Wall! It was very gratifying to put up the exhibit and so fun to see it all come together. Thank you to the NW Minnesota Arts Council for this opportunity!”
Watch the Artist Spotlight with Betsy below!
Ceramic Art created by Betsy Saurdiff
You won’t want to miss this pottery exhibit! Please join us for an Artist Reception with Betsy on Saturday, February 12 from 3 to 5 pm at the gallery.
The NWMAC Gallery is located at Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River Falls. The gallery hours are Monday-Friday from 8:30-5 PM and at other times when events are held at the college. Enter through Door A. Visitor parking is free and at this time in the large end lot.
If you are an artist interested in exhibiting a body of work with NWMAC, please contact Trey Everett at (218) 280-4917 or email NWArtsCouncil@gmail.com. This exhibit is made possible with funding from The McKnight Foundation. Please sign up for our e-newsletter on our website home page to see the latest news and grant announcements. Email director@NWArtsCouncil.org or call 218-745-8886 to reach our office during regular business hours.
