THIS WEEK’S MUSE
CYNTHIA LAHTI
There is something magical about ceramic art. The human action of taking a soft, almost liquid material from the ground, impressing our feelings, personality, and ideas into it, then using intense heat to turn it to stone effectively is a powerful discovery that’s perhaps as close to alchemy as we will ever get. Few art forms are filled with humanity in such an intimate and complete way. We have been making art with clays from the ground for at least 26,000 years, and today ceramic art remains at the forefront of artistic invention.
Cynthia Lahti is an American ceramic artist whose work embraces this ancient process. She was born in Portland, Oregon in 1963 and earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Rhode Island School of Design in the mid-1980s.
“My art is influenced by human artifacts from ancient times to the present.”
Inspired by objects and images, both historical and contemporary, Lahti’s creations reflect her belief that even the smallest artifact can evoke the most powerful emotions. Her art practice is “influenced by human artifacts from ancient times to the present,” and she creates visually alluring and curious objects, despite their overt imperfections and sometimes humble, often unexpected materials.
By incorporating found paper images directly into the bodies of her ceramic figures, Lahti’s work takes on an unexpectedly fragile aesthetic. Her sculpture, combined with drawings and photographs transform into “new relics” made from real materials, methods, and symbols that, she hopes, offer an innovative explanation of reality.
The viewer of her work is compelled to stop and look again, forced to reassess first impressions. Soaking up the “subtle mystery” that emerges ensures Lahti’s work is remembered, and reality slightly revised.
While powerfully original, Lathi’s work brings some influences to mind. For example, the recurring representations of the female body informed and deformed by a surreal imagination can sometimes suggest Louise Bourgeois. Other influences include Rodin, Giacometti, Dubuffet, and even cartoonist Lynda Barry—all artists who turn apparent rough-hewn imperfections into powerful artistic expressions.
After her studies, Lathti returned to Portland where she lives and works today. The wilds of Oregon have been a dominant influence on her life and art. “As family explorations took us all over the state,” she said, “these experiences of being in nature influence me to this day, I feel a strong connection to the land and the truths it contains.”
HAPPENING
Thursday, January 12. 1–3pm
TRANSPARENT WATERCOLOR WORKSHOP
With Robert Mesrop
Take a deep dive and discover new techniques!
Member – $36, Non-member – $40