Stanley Andersen, artist
By Hannah Van Vlack
The Kokol Gallery at Toe River Arts presents an exhibition of works by potter Stanley Andersen from Saturday, August 10, to Saturday, September 14. The opening reception for Stanley Mace Andersen: 1978–2024 will be held Friday, August 16, from 5–7 p.m.
As the exhibition name indicates, Andersen has been a studio potter since 1978, and the show will display his artistic evolution over the decades. He fires his pottery in an electric kiln to cone 03, a very high temperature. “I’m really concerned with utilitarian ware that, form-wise and design-wise, people can be comfortable to use on a daily basis,” he says. “I’m not really involved with one-of-a-kind pieces; I work within a boundary of what you can have on your table that you put food on and use everyday.”
Stanley Andersen, artist
Andersen uses a painting technique that dates back centuries. “I use the maiolica technique; it has moved over centuries all the way through north Africa, Islamic Spain, Italy, France, the Netherlands to England, spanning about 1,000 years,” he says. “You paint on a glazed, but unfired pot so the paint put on the unfired surface glaze becomes molten and fuses to it. The line quality isn’t ruined during firing and the colors you put on come right back at you, representing what you put on, so my brushwork is not compromised.” Maiolica requires much precision and careful attention, as the paint can be easily smeared.
“I’m inspired by flower gardens and nature,” he says, “and I’ve come to really love colors and variation, like in the green landscapes; I use a lot of green in my pottery. I’m not trying to compete with or overwhelm the pot, but enhance it, not getting away from the form.”
Andersen looks forward to sharing his artistic journey with those who are new to his pottery. “The Southern Appalachians are a bit untamed, and I quite like that,” he says. “Because I’ve been in Western North Carolina for 40 years, I consider the Southern Highlands my home; the people who have visited me over the years have connected with my colors and forms.”
The Toe River Arts Kokol Gallery is located at 269 Oak Avenue, Spruce Pine. Learn more at ToeRiverArts.org. Hannah Van Vlack is a senior at Western Carolina University studying Writing and Editing in Professional Environments and Music.
