Curtis Benzle
Curtis Benzle, Counter, porcelain, 7x9x4 in
Curtis Benzle, Esperanza, porcelain, 7x12x3.5 in, SOLD
Curtis Benzle, Expanding Skies, porcelain, 7x12x3.5 in
Curtis Benzle, Lavender Seas, porcelain, 7x16x5 in
Curtis Benzle, Roil Below, porcelain, 7x12x3.5 in
Curtis Benzle, Ascending Scale, porcelain, 7x12x3.5 in, SOLD
Curtis Benzle, Regresar, porcelain, 7x16x5 in
Curtis Benzle, Mundo Durado, porcelain, 7x12x3.5 in
Curtis Benzle, Alhambra Luz, porcelain, 7x16x5 in
Curtis Benzle, Lepidoptera Redux, porcelain, 7x12x3.5 in
Curtis Benzle, Vieques, porcelain, 6x15x5 in
Curtis Benzle, Dificilisimo, porcelain, 5x4.5x2.5 in, SOLD
Curtis Benzle, Floral 12, porcelain, 4x4.5x4.5 in
Curtis Benzle, Floral 11, porcelain, 4x4.5x4.5 in, SOLD
Curtis Benzle, Floral 13, porcelain, 4x4.5x4.5 in
Curtis Benzle, Floral 8, porcelain, 4x4.5x4.5 in
Curtis Benzle, Floral 9, porcelain, 4x4.5x4.5 in
Curtis Benzle, Floral 5, porcelain, 4x4.5x4.5 in, SOLD
Curtis Benzle, Floral 2, porcelain, 4x4.5x4.5 in
Curtis Benzle, Floral 7, porcelain, 4x4.5x4.5 in
Curtis Benzle, Sconce, porcelain, 7x11x5 in
Curtis Benzle, Autumnal Glow, porcelain, 54x13x8 in
Artist Info
Pattern, color and light have propelled Benzle's creative process and fascination with porcelain clay. An early encounter with the “eggshell” wares of Asia encouraged him to test the limits of his materials, and to integrate chance occurrences into his creative process. This also opened the door to a celebration of the Kintsugi repair practice, of an understanding that those limits are the nexus of a personal pursuit of perfection and porcelain’s eventual submission to the molecular strain of extreme temperature and quartz inversion.
Curtis Benzle graduated with a BFA from the Ohio State University in 1972, and received his Masters from Northern Illinois University in 1978. His work is included in many major museums and collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the White House Collection of Contemporary Crafts. Benzle is Professor Emeritus at the Columbus College of Art and Design, and currently lives and works in Huntsville, AL.
" Elegant and graceful, Curtis Benzle’s sculptures gently echo the natural world. Functioning as an experience of nature rather than a reproduction of it, his work pares down landscape to its essence. In Benzle’s words, he hopes to reveal “the emotional content of a moment instead of a specific visual representation.” With rich color and layered patterning, he unites inner with outer, light with shadow, and simplicity with complexity
Benzle’s desire is to construct objects that are emotionally positive and beautiful. Strangely enough, that goal is a bit dangerous. While society may find value in objects deemed beautiful, the art world can be dismissive. Yet, it remains at the heart of Benzle’s aesthetic drive. His desire is “to give form to feeling.” Through pattern, color, and light, he taps into what he deems “fundamental life forces.” By their very nature, such forces have in them an element of beauty.
Curtis Benzle received his B.F.A. from the Ohio State University in 1972 and his MA from Northern Illinois University in 1978. He is Professor Emeritus at the Columbus College of Art and Design (Columbus, OH), while maintaining his studio in Huntsville. Curtis Benzle is represented in major museums and collections around the world, including the Smithsonian, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the White House Collection. His signature works are translucent, porcelain sculptural vessels. " (Excerpted from an article by Chris Yates for “Clay Art International”)