ANTOINETTE FARAGALLAH
ANTOINETTE FARAGALLAH
AN O RAN G E C O U NTY NATIVE N OW RESIDING IN LOS ANGELES, ANTOINETTE FARAGALLAH CR EATES U N IQU E AN D STUNNING CERAMIC WORKS INSPIRED BY THE OTHERWORLDLY MAGIC THAT LIES BENEATH THE SEA.
Photos By: J3 PRODUCTIONS Special Thanks: GRAY GALLERY, LOS ANGELES
j3productions.com
85
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR BACKGROUND? (WHERE DO YOU CURRENTLY RESIDE? ARE YOU FROM LA ORIGINALLY? DID YOU STUDY ART ANYWHERE? HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING CERAMICS?)
I’m a native Angelino, and grew up in Orange County with a family who have curious and creative minds and all loved to travel and see the world. I studied Business and Management because I always knew I wanted to do something on my own. I first became interested in ceramics as a teenager when my aunt gave me a small cylindrical bowl that she made on a potters wheel. I could see the rings around the clay formed by her fingers and I admired the imperfections in the shape and the uniqueness of only one of its kind. I cherish that bowl and use it to hold special objects. I studied ceramics with private instructions, then had the opportunity to attend a local college know for its fantastic arts department. The learning process continues to this day. I have worked with ceramics for 10 years. Today and for the previous 5 years, I am represented exclusively by Chahan Gallery in Paris, and Gray Gallery in Los Angeles.
YOUR WORK HAS A LOT OF REFERENCES TO SEA LIFE, HAVE YOU ALWAYS BEEN ATTRACTED TO THE OCEAN? IS THERE SOMETHING IN PARTICULAR ABOUT IT THAT INSPIRES YOU?
I’m not a good swimmer, and don’t enjoy being knocked down and dragged under the surf at the beach. So what do I do? Join a group of friends to learn how to scuba dive in the open ocean. When you are in the water under the surface, you experience another world. You become one with nature, feeling entirely new sensations and see the most amazing creatures and plants. When you swim deeper, your world changes again. What inspires me when creating in ceramics is the gentle movement of sea life, soothing colors and shapes found only in the ocean. I recently took up paddleboarding and that’s a new and exciting experience. j3productions.com
87
j3productions.com
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DO YOU GO DIVING FREQUENTLY? IS THERE A PARTICULAR AREA/LOCATION THAT IS A FAVORITE? OR IS THERE A PLACE YOU’D LOVE TO VISIT?
I’m not an active diver anymore, but when I pick it up again, I would love to explore the Red Sea, and anywhere with warm water.
CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR PROCESS? DO YOU START WITH A SKETCH OR IMAGE AS REFERENCE? OR DO YOU JUST LET THE MEDIUM DICTATE WHAT IT WANTS TO BE?
I usually start with a image in mind or on paper. I have a good idea of what I want to do, and have learned that you can push some, but the clay does have limitations and good memory. The process cannot be rushed.
j3productions.com
91
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO CREATE A TYPICAL PIECE? WHAT KIND OF PROCESSES DO YOU EMPLOY?
Most of my pieces, either sculpture or functional, require many months to create. The construction takes several months, then controlled drying, firing, glazing, and high-fire to give the piece strength. I use the potter's wheel to throw most of my work, then alter by hand, along with making some of the sculptures entirely by hand. For a few pieces, often times it will take an entire year to complete.
WHO OR WHAT HAS BEEN INSPIRING YOU LATELY? ARE THERE ANY ARTISTS WORK THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY ADMIRING?
I am always drawn to monochromatic schemes; seeing a large body of water, long rolling hills, clear blue sky, giant fluffy clouds, bright green grass. I relate to strong organic character and biomorphic shapes. I choose my glaze colors depending on the type of sculpture and I like to incorporate melted glass with non functional works. I love the works of Lucie Rie, Stan Bitters, Max Ingrand, Harry Bertoia and Paul Evans.
j3productions.com
93
j3productions.com
95
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR DREAM PROJECT?
It would be fantastic to be involved with the design and architecture for a permanent installation or structure.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? ARE THERE ANY THEMES OR CONCEPTS YOU’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO EXPLORING OR THINGS YOU ARE EXPERIMENTING WITH NOW?
I work with high, fire clay and glazes and fire in a gas kiln. There are so many uncontrollable variables and reactions depending on the type of clay, glaze and firing technique used. As much of science and chemistry are a part of the process the finished piece is always unique. I prefer glazes that show the clay body after firing. I use oxides to change or enhance the clay and glazes and work with sculpture clay that has more grit (sand) than clay for functional use. I’m experimenting with fusing glass and incorporating metal into my sculptures for richer texture. The possibilities are very exciting... graygallery.com @ graygallery
j3productions.com
͒
97
AN O RAN G E C O U NTY NATIVE N OW RESIDING IN LOS ANGELES, ANTOINETTE FARAGALLAH CR EATES U N IQU E AN D STUNNING CERAMIC WORKS INSPIRED BY THE OTHERWORLDLY MAGIC THAT LIES BENEATH THE SEA.
Photos By: J3 PRODUCTIONS Special Thanks: GRAY GALLERY, LOS ANGELES
j3productions.com
85
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR BACKGROUND? (WHERE DO YOU CURRENTLY RESIDE? ARE YOU FROM LA ORIGINALLY? DID YOU STUDY ART ANYWHERE? HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING CERAMICS?)
I’m a native Angelino, and grew up in Orange County with a family who have curious and creative minds and all loved to travel and see the world. I studied Business and Management because I always knew I wanted to do something on my own. I first became interested in ceramics as a teenager when my aunt gave me a small cylindrical bowl that she made on a potters wheel. I could see the rings around the clay formed by her fingers and I admired the imperfections in the shape and the uniqueness of only one of its kind. I cherish that bowl and use it to hold special objects. I studied ceramics with private instructions, then had the opportunity to attend a local college know for its fantastic arts department. The learning process continues to this day. I have worked with ceramics for 10 years. Today and for the previous 5 years, I am represented exclusively by Chahan Gallery in Paris, and Gray Gallery in Los Angeles.
YOUR WORK HAS A LOT OF REFERENCES TO SEA LIFE, HAVE YOU ALWAYS BEEN ATTRACTED TO THE OCEAN? IS THERE SOMETHING IN PARTICULAR ABOUT IT THAT INSPIRES YOU?
I’m not a good swimmer, and don’t enjoy being knocked down and dragged under the surf at the beach. So what do I do? Join a group of friends to learn how to scuba dive in the open ocean. When you are in the water under the surface, you experience another world. You become one with nature, feeling entirely new sensations and see the most amazing creatures and plants. When you swim deeper, your world changes again. What inspires me when creating in ceramics is the gentle movement of sea life, soothing colors and shapes found only in the ocean. I recently took up paddleboarding and that’s a new and exciting experience. j3productions.com
87
j3productions.com
89
DO YOU GO DIVING FREQUENTLY? IS THERE A PARTICULAR AREA/LOCATION THAT IS A FAVORITE? OR IS THERE A PLACE YOU’D LOVE TO VISIT?
I’m not an active diver anymore, but when I pick it up again, I would love to explore the Red Sea, and anywhere with warm water.
CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR PROCESS? DO YOU START WITH A SKETCH OR IMAGE AS REFERENCE? OR DO YOU JUST LET THE MEDIUM DICTATE WHAT IT WANTS TO BE?
I usually start with a image in mind or on paper. I have a good idea of what I want to do, and have learned that you can push some, but the clay does have limitations and good memory. The process cannot be rushed.
j3productions.com
91
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO CREATE A TYPICAL PIECE? WHAT KIND OF PROCESSES DO YOU EMPLOY?
Most of my pieces, either sculpture or functional, require many months to create. The construction takes several months, then controlled drying, firing, glazing, and high-fire to give the piece strength. I use the potter's wheel to throw most of my work, then alter by hand, along with making some of the sculptures entirely by hand. For a few pieces, often times it will take an entire year to complete.
WHO OR WHAT HAS BEEN INSPIRING YOU LATELY? ARE THERE ANY ARTISTS WORK THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY ADMIRING?
I am always drawn to monochromatic schemes; seeing a large body of water, long rolling hills, clear blue sky, giant fluffy clouds, bright green grass. I relate to strong organic character and biomorphic shapes. I choose my glaze colors depending on the type of sculpture and I like to incorporate melted glass with non functional works. I love the works of Lucie Rie, Stan Bitters, Max Ingrand, Harry Bertoia and Paul Evans.
j3productions.com
93
j3productions.com
95
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR DREAM PROJECT?
It would be fantastic to be involved with the design and architecture for a permanent installation or structure.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? ARE THERE ANY THEMES OR CONCEPTS YOU’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO EXPLORING OR THINGS YOU ARE EXPERIMENTING WITH NOW?
I work with high, fire clay and glazes and fire in a gas kiln. There are so many uncontrollable variables and reactions depending on the type of clay, glaze and firing technique used. As much of science and chemistry are a part of the process the finished piece is always unique. I prefer glazes that show the clay body after firing. I use oxides to change or enhance the clay and glazes and work with sculpture clay that has more grit (sand) than clay for functional use. I’m experimenting with fusing glass and incorporating metal into my sculptures for richer texture. The possibilities are very exciting... graygallery.com @ graygallery
j3productions.com
͒
97
