Todd Wahlstrom is an old friend of mine. I first met him when he taught my Junior Pottery class. He was really inspirational in his ability to bring contemplation to pottery. I think that people often confuse consideration of a pot, with contemplation. Todd's pots, to me have never been about a feeling, they have been about doing. What, does a pot do? What does decoration do? And to that end, Todd is a master of slip. Never have I seen someone who has such control over deceortive slips. Whether it is color, pattern or texture, Todd has an intrinsic understanding of how object and surface work together. As I was discussing a few posts back; the knowledge of how surface works, is it on the pot, or is it in the pot? Todd knows.
From Todd's Artist Statement-
If my pots are to be compelling and relevant beyond my own studio, they must be in some ways democratic. Pots themselves are common in human experience. How else can I connect with those who might use these objects? In constructing form and creating surfaced I employ the familiar. The effortless quality of a line made in slip and the use of radial and concentric patterns have parallels in the forms of our natural world. These structure and organizations are on some level familiar to all of us and resonate with soundness and rightness.
See more of Todd's work at his website: Town Hill Pottery.
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