Simon van der Ven
Making objects for warmth, light, and nourishment
As an artist, I work with what is and what can be. I join a continuum of artists and craftspeople in this struggle. Most often, I think of my work in simple and direct terms. How does it feel? How does it work? But if I reach for the impossible (as I believe all artists must) it is to reach toward making something that has always been.”
After earning an undergraduate degree in printmaking at SUNY Potsdam and teacher certification from St. Lawrence University, Simon moved to Maine to work on boats. He was lured ashore as an apprentice to designer/gallery owner Tom O’Donovan of Harbor Square Gallery, then turned to house construction and renovation. From 1990 to 2007, Simon taught art at Camden Hills Regional High School. During a 1995 sabbatical in Aix-en-Provence, Simon studied painting and criticism at the Marchutz School and worked at Atelier Buffile. In 1997, he received the prestigious Maine College of Art Award for Leadership in Art Education. He subsequently enrolled at MECA and received an MFA in 2001. Simon lives and works in Lincolnville, Maine with his wife, Kate Braestrup.
With his hands, mind, and heart Simon works full time in his studio to make objects for warmth, light, and nourishment out of porcelain, stoneware and other materials.
A few notes about the work
Most of my work is formed on the potter’s wheel, trimmed, modified, bisque fired to cone 05, glazed and fired again in either an electric oxidation kiln to cone 6 or an Anagama kiln to cone 10. I work with porcelain, porcelaneous stoneware, and high-iron stoneware. I make most of my own glazes.
The Anagama kiln where my wood-fired work is fired belongs to my friend Jody Johnstone. Jody lives and works in Swanville, Maine. She is a masterful potter and very significant influence on my work. An Anagama kiln requires a full team to pull off a successful firing. Jody’s firing team includes, Betsy Levine, David Orser, Wayne Fuerst, and Ellen Sedgwick. They are a marvelous group of potters and I am honored to be able to count myself a sometime member of the team.
Recently, I’ve been grinding local stone (primarily granite from different parts of Maine) and adding it to my wood-fire clay body. This was partly inspired by Louise Allison Cort’s seminal book Shigaraki: Potters’ Valley. I describe these pieces as “granite-infused” and most have title designations (i.e. CS30) that refer to the particular stone and ratio. If a title or description mentions Searsmont, this refers to a slip or glaze that includes a locally mined clay.
Regarding the “illuminated” work, I am often asked, “How do you do that?” I use various sized drill bits to make the holes -- working large to small when the piece is leather hard. Once I’ve made all the holes, I use small wire brushes to further shape and sculpt the surface. Yes, it is labor intensive; I like to think of it as an active meditation. And yes, I lose a few pieces along the way, which serves as a kind of test to see if the meditation is working!
Pieces such as Shoji Pattern Vase, and Lotus vases are thrown, trimmed, and reduction carved using edged tools such as X-Acto knives and metal ribs. I don’t add layers of clay to create the relief. The petal part of the Lotus vases (and the teardrop cup exteriors) are unglazed and wet-sanded to a satin sheen.
Please feel free to write of call if you have further questions.
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