Erica Wurtz makes sculptural vessels that combine wheel-throwing and hand-building methods. Drawing from Cubism and collage, she is interested in the way planes and parts move, shift, merge, and intersect. Much of her work is driven by this interplay of gestural relationships. Double-walled construction allows a sense of mass, volume, and fluidity; satin-matte glazes visually soften the forms and invite touch.
Each piece is made from stoneware clay and fired in a reduction atmosphere to cone 9 (2300 degrees). Historical ceramic sources from which she draws inspiration include 17th century Sèvres porcelain and Japanese Bizen pottery.
Wurtz received her MFA from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, and has been on the visiting faculty of Marlboro College, Vermont, Harvard University, Princeton University and Philips Exeter. Her work has been exhibited throughout the US, and is the recipient of numerous grants and awards.
