Twisha Balasubramanian

Ceramics 1
11/4/14

Artist Research-Bonnie Seeman

Bonnie Seeman is a recognized American ceramicist, born in 1969. She attained her
Bachelors in Fine Arts from the University of Miami in 1991, and her Masters in Fine Art from
the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth in 1996. Throughout her career she has
participated in a number of international and national exhibitions namely, Art Basel
(Switzerland), Arcco Art Fair (Spain), FIAC (France), and World Ceramic Biennale (Korea). Her
works can be seen in various public and private collections, like the Metropolitan Museum of
Art (New York). She has also received several honorable grants, like the Louis Comfort Tiffany
Foundation Biennial Award and two Florida Individual Artist Fellowships. She has lectured at
various Universities throughout the country. She is currently on the board for the Watershed
Center for Ceramic Arts, and is also a Florida Arts Fellowship Panelist.
The utilitarian object and the narrative nature it holds intrigue Seeman. She says
her work blends the macabre with the beautiful, which in other words depicts the fragility
and resiliency of life in both nature and humanity. Her acute interest in the morphology and
anatomy of life is magnificently depicted in her pieces. She fascinates her audience by making
realistic forms that are detailed and nature - based. Her juxtaposition of human anatomy with
botanical elements is meant to surprise her viewers, whilst helping them appreciate the close
bond humans share with nature. She beautifully and tactfully incorporates these delicate
detailing to entice her viewers interaction.

The picture above of the large vase by Seeman, caught my eye the most while I was
scrolling through the artwork on her website. The wonderful incorporation of human anatomy
in the form of a spinal chord, and the muscular form on the base of this vase got my creative

Twisha Balasubramanian
Ceramics 1
11/4/14

juices flowing for the overall form of my Fun Functional project. I enjoy her realistic approach
and look up to her overall (very deliberate) organic form of building. Im not sure what her
technique is for this particular piece, but Im guessing she threw the base and hand built the
spinal chord form with slabs. The intricacy of each element in this piece is very eye-catching
and immediately makes its viewers engage in thought about her reasoning behind each
element and overall approach. The vertical growth of the walls of her vase is captivating. Yet,
elements from the base (Muscular form) are incorporated in this spinal chord ascension. This
makes the viewers connect these two parts together and view the overall composition of the
piece instead of just its vertical growth. Her usage of color adds to this characteristic of a 360degree visual engagement. The delicate meandering contours formed by the leaves make a
connection to the curving nature of the leaves on the spinal chord form. Thus, helping the
viewer make a visual connection between both parts and influences them to appreciate the
delicacy of each element.
The amazing dichotomy between botanical forms and human anatomy made me look
back at my own body of work from my figure drawing class I took last winter. My out of class
project in that class were fine point sharpie doodles on various media. These doodles reflected
muscular forms, and connected them to the growing and spiraling nature of vines and cobwebs
alike. Thus, I incorporated this organic form in my design element through low and high relief.
Even though I did not incorporate a wide base like Seeman did in her piece above, I was
influenced by her spinal chord vertical integration. My puzzle pieces and over all structure of
all three pieces in my project is divided into sections, much like Seemans spinal chord spout
on her vase. I was also influenced by her delicate detailing technique and tried to incorporate
that into the individual internal detailing in each web-like form.

Works Sited:
http://www.bonnieseeman.com/about/
http://www.bonnieseeman.com
https://artsy.net/artist/bonnie-seeman
http://www.duanereedgallery.com/Artists%20Pages/seeman/seeman.html