Arizona Artist a Day: Day 171:Katheryn Sins

Originally from upstate New York, Katheryn has a BFA in Sculpture from Syracuse University, and MFA in Sculpture from Pratt Institute, and a Masters in Art Education from Rochester Institute of Technology. She originally moved to Phoenix from New York in 1988 to teach art at the Phoenix Day School for the Deaf, and later taught art for the Phoenix Union High School District. Katheryn is a summer adjunct professor (Ceramics) at Glendale Community College and teaches and works at her own studio. She also volunteers weekly at several nursing homes with her pet therapy visitation dogs through Pets On Wheels of Scottsdale. More information can be found at her website: www.KatherynSins.com

I received my MFA in Sculpture from Pratt Institute in New York. In 1981. I have taught many different disciplines in my 30+ years as an art teacher. My artwork is constantly evolving, with the media changing as my life circumstances, teaching assignments, and available materials changed over the years.

My interest in ceramics came late in my teaching career. Having only a few basic classes as an undergraduate, I was assigned to teach high school ceramics in 1998. I “re-discovered” clay taking a Ceramics 1 refresher class in the summer at Glendale Community College. Since that time I have focused my creative energy on clay as my medium.

My current ceramic work combines wheel thrown forms with hand-building. I enjoy the challenge of creating sculptural pieces entirely from wheel thrown parts. I use wheel-thrown, closed forms and manipulate the clay to resemble a natural, living object from the earth that the clay comes from. My work is both functional and sculptural, combining the functional aspects of “traditional” ceramics with sculptural forms related to nature. Each sculpture has a functional element as a lidded container. The lids are part of the sculpture, and are usually hidden.

Each piece is inspired from the seed pods of desert plants . These pieces have evolved from one pod per piece to several pods as part of the larger sculpture. Each element of the piece is constructed and bisque fired separately. The pieces are then individually stained and glazed, and the piece is finally assembled in the glaze firing. All pieces are reduction fired to cone 10.

My studio is surrounded by a variety of desert plants that are my inspiration.

www.KatherynSins.com