"Red Artichoke"

Michael Wisner

"My work explores innovation in traditional ceramics. My goal is to take old techniques and combine them with contemporary ideas to create a visual effect that tickles the senses. I like art that is infused with the comfort of familiarity and the excitement of something new."

Michael Wisner's ceramic work is strongly influenced by natural forms. Seed pods, plants, and marine life are just a few of his inspirations for patterns and texture. The way textures decorate and create energetic movement on the pottery surface is the central theme of his work.

The artist's ceramic pots are made with clays gathered by hand from the Elk Mountains of Colorado. Years of traditional pottery study in Mexico and access to contemporary ceramics have allowed him to merge Old World aesthetics with the new to create a contemporary look with traditional sensibilities. Each vessel is individually hand formed and incised from Colorado clays and minerals.