マスク

黒いマスク

ceramic world

I would like to welcome Pedro Ramirez back to the ceramic world.
I recently purchased a potters wheel and I LOVE it, I never worked on a wheel so quiet since its brand new, and its like a new toy, I want to play with it every day.
I also have found a local artist to fire my work so I may be participating in shows again in the very near future, I have so many ideas to bring into being, its a LOT of fun.
Here is a preview of one of the pieces in the new series of which I would love to have a show about.

It is still green, will later fire chalk white and be glazed so the little jay really pops.  Several of the new works have blue jays on them... explanation soon.

The blue textured work

The latest work of art is a woman inspired by the scleroderma piece on my website, I wanted a figure with that same presence and similar texture. This texture is not rough like the original, it is smooth, and eroded or peeling away. Blues and white colors blend together for a mottled, rustic appearance. Reminds me of when pigeons shit on a statue. After the jump, see her in progress from her humble beginnings.

click the pics to see some texture!

It came like a flood

All this time back home with nothing, nothing, and now suddenly the flood gates have been opened and a tidal wave of ideas and inspiration has engulfed me, I shall lay me down to sleep now, I will force myself, for the ideas and techniques which are bubbling up from God konws where are numerous and amazing. 
I finished the latest work of art today, a statuesque figure with a drape over her face, inspired by one of my very own.   I will blog about it tomorrow in detail with photos. 

I have much much to make, more new textures and surface treatment not like before, more like the ceramic pieces, the figure as a statue, conveying boldness in a theatrical way.

Welcome Back

Okay, it has been a month since the last posting, I need to let go and come back into reality.
I loved Guatemala and fell in love with the gorgeous country, but must get on with life and goals.
That is not to say I cannot go back of daydream about her :)
But today I decided to clean up house, I have an entire show room chock full of sculptures, miniatures, statues, ceramics, polymer clay flowers, and butterflies, I would like to clean house and make room for the new and exciting future items, whatever they may be.
So tonight I am posting a lot of new items on the etsy store at super low prices, enjoy them for the new work will get its just value ;-)

Also, today I was inspired to make my love figure... not sexual love either, the self-worth kind.

Guatemala

Greetings loved ones,

I am currently in Guatemala, and amongst the wonderful culture and language shock and the ambient mountains and abundance of natural growing things and the obvious self sufficiency of this place, all I can think about is Art art art, what im going to create when I get back... how i cant wait to try this or that, and all the sketches and wiritings i have done while here.  I just hope the art materializes once in the states, my mood here is easy, there is no negative stress, I sleep a lot, and everything is new and different.  I have visited museums and taken pictures of modern as well as ancient art and have lots of ideas for projects dealing with figures and not dealing with figures.  Many of my ideas have little to do with the colors or ruins of this country, it simply allowed me the calirty to allow the ideas to come through.

See you soon.

Pedro Ramirez "Kitsch" Polymer Clay Artist

Pedro Ramirez, the self-proclaimed “King of Kitsch” has crafted a business out of his polymer clay hobby.  Creating figures with bright skirts and flowing manes, sealing them in plastic boxes, and selling them on the streets, the internet, the NYC subway system, and wherever else he can.  Ramirez embraces the title due to his recent educational experience in the Public University CUNY system.  While attending and even upon graduation, he claims that his advisors and professors would often try and convince him to alter his work to be more scholarly, to get out of craft, and into galleries where the big bucks were.  He claims those around him were trying to mold him into the next big thing in ceramics, but things didn’t turn out that way, Ramirez took his own path and he says he regrets nothing.  A closer inspection upon these exquisite little figurines reveals something more, kitsch?  I think not.  According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, Kitsch is something that appeals to popular or lowbrow taste and is often of poor quality.   I would argue that Ramirez’ work is 50/50 Kitsch if at all.  The figures are brilliant, his own personal style of intentional body manipulation with an attention to detail which can be appreciated; of low quality? Definitely not, of popular appeal… perhaps.  Dozens of onlookers can be seen at his table at all times of the day, making it hard to take bathroom breaks.  He muses over each and every one, and if someone tries to get a lower price?  Ramirez tells them that he is happy to keep each and every figure no matter what, he doesn’t sell his girls off cheap!  Stay tuned this original and inspiring Kitsch King is well on his way to getting the notoriety he deserves.