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Susan's Artist Statement
I work with porcelain, a wonderfully rich clay with beautiful surface qualities of depth and brilliance. It is defined by its extreme durability, distinctive smooth white color, and its unique bell like ring. Slowly over time the clay, its whiteness, and translucent yet enduring quality, have melded with my loves - beautiful form, strong lines, rich color and gestural drama. The intrinsic beauty of this most elegant of clays works well with my affinity toward detail and my passion for elegant forms.
Pottery can be many things and beauty has many dimensions. I am working with my pots as both objects of formal elegance and aesthetic allure, while also caring to retain elements of use and function. I believe these combined attributes build a sense of intuitive understanding. There is an intimacy to a functional pot, that of knowing how to touch, to approach, and to think about the piece. There is a different pleasure in work that speaks of elegant forms, of grace and beauty, with luminous glaze surfaces that are vibrant with color. In my work, I hope to catch a touch of the intrigue that may lay between the two.
I also want to make pots that speak, sometimes because they are saucy or altered with an attitude, sometimes through their formal presence, or simply in the basic ways that a cup can be a pleasure to use. I like a pot that tells its own story, a pot that asks to be touched or tells me to treasure it.
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Susan Filley grew up in Chapel Hill and went to Earlham, a small liberal arts college. While majoring in Biology, she also studied with Mitsuo Kakutani, a Japanese artist and the ceramics instructor, and became his assistant to the studio. Filley proceeded to Graduate School in Ceramics, receiving her MFA from LSU. Working since as a studio Artist, she has also continued to teach in many capacities including: Piedmont Virginia Community College, Penland Craft School, museum programs, and numerous workshops. While living in Nevada she worked with Tom Coleman to start a Clay Studio School and co-operative studio/gallery in Las Vegas.
Susan Filley served as President and Director at Large for the National Council for Education of the Ceramic Arts. She has represented the organization at international conferences in China and Norway and is involved in NCECA's mission to develop and promote ceramic artwork and artists. Susan was awarded a grant by the SC Arts Commission to create an innovative ceramics studio and gallery that offers co-operative studio space in Charleston. In 2006, Susan moved to Chapel Hill, NC and has helped initiate a community intergrated initiative to revitalize the arts community. Filley's work has been exhibited internationally, including the Fletcher Challenge Awards in New Zealand. She has been in national exhibitions and invitationals including Cedar Creek Teapot National and the Strictly Functional Pottery National.
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Student Comments:
Susan’s pots are so inspiring and her approach to making pots is wonderful. Susan really knows her stuff and has a great way of sharing her knowledge, clear thoughtful instruction, wonderful explanations to so many details, fantastic and unique teacher, very supportive, encouraging and innovative; she works toward every skill level, she even makes glazes start to make sense! all my other courses pale to this learning experience,
So much knowledge - if you ever write a book, we want to buy it
Susan teaches with enthusiasm and offers loads of technical information. She caters to the class to give them individual help and also to understand what they want. She packs her workshops with as much as the day allows, with many demonstrations as well as discussion. Students get tips on solving problems and ‘rescuing pots’ as so much of working with clay is in understanding the material. Susan has a passion for glazes and helps to explain the basics or can focus on specifics of glazing and firing process. She has taught glaze safety and shares info to help potters understand how to safely use glaze chemicals. She has experience working with injuries and helps individuals with body dynamics and using your body with care with tips to avoid wrist and back injuries.
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