Category: Ceramics

WHO’S OFFENDED (2025)

WHO’S OFFENDED SOLO ART SHOW (2025)

 

Base Camp 2  Seattle  July 11-Aug 22

 

 

New works. Mixed media and performance. Huge works on paper, vinyl collage, ceramic sculpture, film, cardboard sculpture. 

 

 

 

Artist statement on exhibition:

As a young child (probably 6 or 7) I remember thinking to myself that the world we are born into was damn shitty. I was surprised that the “grownups” would seemingly do so little to ensure each and everyone had what they needed to live and be happy. Growing up poor, these inequalities were all the more obvious as they would be confronted by myself or family on a daily basis. This exhibition is framed in the voice of the underserved, overlooked and the forgotten. This collection of statements stand as truths–factual alongside emotional responses–they may not be ones you want to hear or think about, but they are at the root of rot in this country and across our planet. 

 

 

Link to virtual tour of the exhibition.

 

 

The content of this show centers on police violence, bigotry, lack of concern for human life, greed, corruption, incarceration, and the glorification of war, amongst feelings of distress, frustration, and injustice. Who’s Offended might not be suitable for sensitive audiences (language) parental discretion is advised. 

 

 

The artwork was generated with the aim of recycling as much old materials as possible. Scrap adhesive vinyl, latex paint, cardboard, all repurposed into the works displayed. The space to create this work over the course of two years was donated: thank you to Punk Rock Flea Market, Nii Modo, The Bemis Building, Cannonball Arts, The Muckleshoot Tribe, Degenerate Art Ensemble, and of course Base Camp 2 for providing the space for the exhibition.

The works on paper come from years of creating messages for the street and public consumption. It is the artist’s intention to invite anyone who has access to offer up locations for these paper works to be placed out in the streets. Got a spot you want to see this work, it could be a wall, or a building, or inside a warehouse, or on a bus, or in your living room. Reach out and start a conversation: ezramdickinson@gmail.com

 

 

For the opening of the show an evening of entertainment was curated by Ezra featuring spoken word by Nahaan, performance duet by Donald Byrd and Ezra Dickinson, the band Seize the Means played a set, and DJ WIZDUM was the sandwich of the evening providing revolutionary sounds for the start, inbetweens and to close down the night. To end the exhibition DJ WIZDUM came through again to provide an evening of sounds to dance the show to a close.

   

 

Throughout the show every Friday at 3pm, there was a live and open to the public reading conducted by Ezra, of the typewriter submissions. The typewriter submissions were an interactive element of WHO’S OFFENDED, show attendees were prompted to interact though the portal of a manual typewriter. Prompts for submission were provided in the form of three categories, Requests for Apology, Sharing of a Confession, or Open Share. This anonymous interactive offering was aimed to provide the gallery goer a chance to express anything that might arise while viewing the show, or share something that might have been weighing on the mind of the attendee related or unrelated. This element offered a path to both feel in a tactile sense via the typewriter the feeling of capturing one’s thoughts and further to give the participant a way to add to the textual fabric of the exhibition. All readings were filmed and will be compiled into a short film for viewing, link coming soon.

 

 

 

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BUTTER (2024)

Cearmic butter dish (2024)

 

 

Ceramic hand built butter dish. Cone 5 with over glaze. Created for a butter party, purchased by a huge fan of butter.

 

 

 

BIG BOWLS (2022-present)

Ongoing project, big ceramic bowls of words. (2022-present)

 

Big ceramic bowls of words, allows for the text to capture a larger idea or sentiment. Turning the act of reading the text on a big bowl into a physical performance of sorts, or a puzzle if you like. Words and quotes that deserve a chance at imortality, a chance to speak for humanity far off in the future. As always if you would like to commission a custom phrase, contact ezra at: ezramdickinson@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bowls of Words (2019-present)

(2019-present) Ongoing project of ceramic bowls

 

One thing that has always attracted me to pottery is the potential permanence that clay possesses. In the first stage, I threw, fired and glazed thirtythree soup bowls, decorated with one of three phrases ( I WAS BORN A WOMAN, IT IS A SERIOUS THING JUST TO BE, MASTERS WERE FEARFUL) I felt spoke of who we are as a society at this time. Inspired by ancient texts, ceramic law cones and the discovery of these artifacts in modern day. With these Bowls of Words I aim to create a document that could be discovered in the future by another civilization. 

 

 

For 2020 I threw over 100 bowls, some porcelain, some terracotta, with the three phrases ( I LOVE YOU, WE ARE ANIMALS, FREE THE FUTURE). Also see, Bowls for Sale.

 

For 2021 I chose the three phrases, SPACE ANNIHILATORS, YOU AND I ARE EARTH, and TIME IS MEMORY. Here’s a little explanation of the three phrases: SPACE ANNIHILATORS, in reference to humans, comes from Paramahansa Yogananda; YOU AND I ARE EARTH, was written on a plate discovered in the sewer of England also accompanied by the date of 1661; and TIME IS MEMORY, is the creative mantra of my good friend. Bowls for Sale

 

For 2022 the three phrases I chose were, NADIE ES ILEGAL, GIVE TAKE, and MOONAGE DAYDREAM. With each bowl I’m planting a seed that looks to grow into a future revelation about who we are at this time. Someone or something may unearth a broken piece or an intact bowl in an archaeological dig, and learn about humans of the 21st century. I also like the idea of inanimate objects having a voice, kind of beautiful I think.

I chose these words because I feel that we have a lot to learn about how to be kind humans. We have allowed artificial lines to be drawn, we give power to “leaders” who capitalize on these imaginary lines to demonize people fleeing climate catastrophe, and political upheaval. NADIE ES ILEGAL, no one is illegal. 

GIVE TAKE can be applied in so many ways in our lives. I specifically left out the more traditional & in the middle because I wanted to make plain my interest in the act of giving and taking. 

What do you think of when you imagine a MOONAGE DAYDREAM? David Bowie’s iconic title on an iconic album is just the beginning. MOONAGE DAYDREAM feels like a limitless possibility in my imagination. Bowls for Sale

 

For 2023 I added in a few new phrases, WHATEVER, QUESTION EVERYTHING, and THEY WERE LIKE GODS. I took a look back at past phrases that still feel present to me and mixed in a few new fonts. Alongside this work I also made time to explore more complicated ideas and possibilities with big bowls and the layering of text and designs. I’m thinking for 2024 I want to continue to broaden this big bowl project in two ways, collaborating with living writers to capture words that speak to our current state of humanity, and to share my own personal truths about familial relationships. I make this work from the stance of creating bowls that both serve the use of vessels and as a voice in the future. Bowls for sale.

Becia Orix (2016)

(2016) Ceramic Sculpture.

 

This piece has been quite a long time in the making. The investigation began with building a cardboard armature to provide a foundation for slabs of clay to be placed on. Upon drying I realized that even though the cardboard had been essentially tenderized, it was still to rigid for the clay in its drying process, and thus was making the clay crack. After four attempts of trying to tweak different things in the hopes of making the drying process not result in cracks of various sizes. I decided to pull the armature out after a day of drying, when I did this I was able to get the piece to dry with out cracking. Then began an unintentionally long glazing process, time and life took over and only a little bit of color could be added each week. Hand Built, low fire, underglaze with over glaze and wax resist. Approximate dimensions 14″x13″x6″.

 

Becia Orix

Bald Vase (2010)

(2010) Ceramic Sculpture.

 

Low fire, thrown, over glaze with wax resist. Approximate dimensions 13″x8″x8″. Always looking to create satisfying shapes and visuals, this vase has an almost hidden pop of vibrant yellow spiraling down its outsides. This was a gift to a friend.

 

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Ceramic Castle (2009)

(2009) handbuilt ceramic sculpture

 

Gift created for a friend’s mother. This castle was modeled after Neuschwanstein. I had not hand built anything in eight years before creating this piece. This project taught/reminded me of many things I should do differently when building a large ceramic sculpture.

 

Baba Yaga Platter (2009)

(2009) ceramic sculpture

 

This is a gift for my grandmother. Her request was for a platter that could house her yearly gingerbread house creation. With the platter, the gingerbread house is elevated and transformed into Baba Yaga’s hut. I get so much joy from creating gifts for friends and loved ones, this gift in particular was revealed as a true success when I received the photograph after the gingerbread house had been erected on top of the platter.

 

Photo Ron Hammond