Buddha Praying For All Birds, Ceramic, 20” x 22” x 22”
Buddha In Repose, Ceramic, 15.5” x 15.5” x 15.5”
Susan’s solo exhibition of ceramics ‘The Fire Within’ is on view April 25 – May 16, 2017 at Agora Gallery
The daughter of a hat designer and niece of a high fashion designer, Susan Kadish’s childhood was steeped in a keen sense for aesthetics. From an early age, she was encouraged to explore her own creative instincts. Although she went on to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology, Kadish soon realized that her true passion lay in sculpting. Delving into alabaster and marble in the eighties and nineties, training in New York and Italy, she established herself as a fine art sculptor.
Over time, Kadish turned her attention to clay, which impressed her with its malleability and endless possibilities. She has been drawn to East Asian techniques like ‘raku’ and ‘saggar’. There is an allure to pairing the ancient technique she employs with modern and experimental firing. In saggar, an unfinished clay piece is placed in a container with chemicals, minerals, and sawdust, then kiln-fired, creating unique colors without a glaze. As an American sculptor, Kadish offers an outsider’s take on Eastern content. She has embraced the learning process, showing respect for the techniques and cultures she represents, but is fully committed to her own artistic vision as well.
Kadish takes her enthusiasm for creative experimentation to a new level in her current body of work, a unique process that employs the use of liquid silver. She has developed, perfected and patented the process through a period of eight years. Each piece is jeweled with thousands of droplets of iridescent silver that shimmer like beads of morning dew on grass. In the firing process the droplets literally bubble through to the surface, dancing atop the under glaze, capturing and refracting the full spectrum of light.
#3920, Stoneware with patented silver process, 19.5” x 13” x 13”
#8112, Stoneware with patented silver process, 31” x 18” x 18”
There is a sense of unity, when looking at Kadish’s work, a feeling that, despite the ongoing experimentation and impressive distinctions between forms, these pieces are meant to be together. “For me, living in New York continues to inspire a sense of profound creative freedom,” Kadish says.
Susan in her studio
“I believe these multi-faceted influences are like nutritious offerings that fuel my appetite, enabling me to explore my own art and find my voice.”
www.susieart.net
www.Agora-Gallery.com/Aartistpage/Susan_Kadish.aspx