Kevin McNiff- Ceramics

I am a studio technician at the Jackson County Green Energy Park where I maintain all of the equipment for the glass blowing, blacksmithing studios and our wood fire kilns. I have a love of technical things and knowing how something works as well as traditional modes of making.

My first venture into ceramics was in the 6th grade and it has stuck with me since then. I continued my exploration into ceramics throughout my high school years into my Undergraduate studies at Ferrum college and my graduate school studies at Western Carolina University where I completed my Master of Fine Arts with a focus in ceramics. I have had a continued interest throughout my studies in different firing techniques focusing on surface and atmospheric effects available through different firing methods.

My growth through the years as an artist has been heavily influence by my love of historical forms and my interaction with Japanese and Korean culture while growing up, specifically related to the concepts within the idea of Wabi-Sabi. A general idea of Wabi-sabi is the acceptance of transience and imperfection the beauty of imperfection, change and decomposition/age. The interest for which came from Korean and Japanese cultures through my early involvement with martial arts which lead to an interest in Buddhist and Shinto religions. These two things inform the why I look at and approach my work. A large part of my work deals with surface quality so my interest in different firing techniques has continued to grow because of this, each firing technique having its own pros and cons for the surfaces and colors it can provide. When making a piece I like to think about the larger picture of its particular use, its overall aesthetics, and the daily rituals it may be involved in. I then consider what I can do to enrich that experience and make it unique, how I can make it grow and evolve with each consecutive interaction. This can range from a comfortable handle to an indentation that lets the form rest comfortably in the hand or a ridge or design the finger can worry over while you enjoy a cup of tea or coffee.