The web site is the 21st-century’s business card. UF Ceramics MFA alumnus Chris Pickett has a snappy new web site designed by UF Graphic Design student Marisa Falcigno. Marisa worked as a graphic designer before deciding to return to school for MFA study. She’s been a great consultant and designer for many people affiliated with Ceramics, and assisted Masters Art Education alum Jeni Hansen with her K-12 ceramics resource site for teachers, Oh Happy Clay!
Chris’s new site includes a fun process page that shows how Chris handbuilds his work using drop molds made from foam insulation. It’s a variation on forming slabs that uses shallow cut-outs to slump soft slabs into curved forms. I’ve seen people use plywood forms, but the stiff foam insulation sheets are easy to cut and light-weight. It’s a flexible method of adding volume in shapes to slab-building. Ceramics Monthly had a nice article about Chris’s methods in Dec. 2011. Chris is inspired by inflatable toys, mid-20th century modern furniture designers, and the seduction of touch.
