Seth Simpson

My wheel thrown porcelain and stoneware forms are the result of calculated decisions of process; the unpredictability of fire, and the influence of place upon my work. My aesthetic stretches across the pacific to Japan and Hawaii and from my home in the Pacific Northwest to the deserts of the southwest. My work has elements of Asian calligraphy and man made mark making, but more than anything I try to rely on the beauty of nature to inspire me. Often the colors in my work change with the seasons from the bright hues of fall foliage to the deep greens of spring growth or even the soothing blues of an ocean swell. I focus on the utilitarian object and seek to create pieces that combine aesthetic appeal and functionality. The Vessel speaks to me because it provides the comfort and familiarity that is often thought of as ordinary. I seek to transform these everyday objects from the ordinary to the extraordinary by imparting upon them the random beauty of nature. From a leaf fluttering in the wind to the ripples of the current in a river; it is this spontaneity that connects me to the natural world. It is my hope that by conveying this elegance to the viewer in the form of a functional object for daily use; that others lives can also be influenced, if not enhanced by the beauty I find around me. -Seth Simpson

Seth Simpson is an emerging Humboldt County artist specializing in both small scale production and one of a kind show pieces thrown from fine porcelain and stoneware. Seth recently graduated from Humboldt State University with a Bachelors of Arts degree in 2009, but has long pursued an education in the ceramic arts in addition to his academic training. He has worked as a production potter for North Bay Clayworks in Blue lake California; apprenticed for local master potter Jeff Morales, and assisted renowned Napa Valley ceramic artist Richard Carter. He has currently established his own studio in McKinleyville California in 2010 and is looking forward to the next step on his continuing journey with clay.