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1 Newsletter

April 1997

Fiery Function -Linda Christianson

Phe por ot Linda Christianson remind us of

vw simple plexsures of daily marerial

existence, Sensory experiences are the

essence of the appeal of her work.
Christiansen confirms this, explaining, "!
want the pots in their resoing positions te

pevie 4a Cemiain en 9 be puIst in their

used E aliehin a cup ‘dudnea chee tie lot a
coffee break with a friend, holding and
refilling it, then later in the day finding it in

the sink, washing it and pucting it away;

This whole act gives a different reacling to

the piece.”

As auniversicy studenc in Minnesota, Linda

began making pots in the early 70's,
Following graduacion, she spent a few years
at the Bandf Sh

moved back to the Minnesota countryside,

enere for the Fine Arts, ct

where she fas continued to work for the
vast 20 years. She lives and works in an
860's fareienice,

Linda
ports which are fired in a
wood & sale kiln. She ts assee
group of potters know as the “Mingei-sota
group’, a hu
several Minnesota ceramists who practice

ds her days making functional

ewo-chamber

iated with s

ous moniker applies d te

an aesthetic inh edited from yy aren
MacKenzie via Bernard Leach. These
artists share a common interest im making
pors for daily use in a fairly direce way.

Yet, if Chriscianson's work is informed by

this long, illustrious line of functional

potters, tt is mot constrai ned by che
see myself coming from a history, but
certainly not bound by it. Just as with a
family, you can follow che family line back
and look at certain physical and emotional
characteristics that are hereditary, But
wher it gets cht down to it, you can't be
those people, you can’t be of che past.”

Continued on Pape +

———— ———
| Cups and Savcers Linda Chrstiansan