Artist Statement

Though seemingly chaotic, species in the natural world have developed strategic survival mechanisms that contribute to the diversity of life.  More adaptive species survive better in rapidly changing environments.  Plants and their flowers are particularly good at diversifying, using insects and humans as vehicles for cross-pollination.  Their shapes have evolved to use mimicry and deception to attract insects, just as the beauty and complexity of flowering plants tends to attract humans.  Never an exact replica, the forms and colors of the Flora Series are derived from various types of plants and flowers. 

Diversity, growth, and beauty of the natural world serve as the basis for the pottery, ceramic sculpture, and fountains that I create. 

As I create pottery, these ideas are portrayed through form, color, and decal images made from photographs I have taken. Even when I approach the idea of function, I am thinking about nature and how the pottery I create can some how act as a link for us to connect us with plants or nature.

In my sculpture, forms unfold in a process of construction and deconstruction, where forms are cut and assembled as petals or leaves.  The large scale of many of the pieces is intended to give the viewer a child-like sense of wonder about the natural world, as when noticing a flower for the first time.  Though the creative genius of the natural world cannot be fully imitated, the flower forms pay tribute to nature’s creativity and innovation, inspiring the viewer to proceed on a similar path.

Biography

Andy Clift received his BFA in Graphic Design and Ceramics from Minnesota State University, Mankato, Minnesota, where he studied with James Tanner and Roy Strassburg. He completed his MFA in Ceramics and Sculpture at the University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, studying under Victor Spinski. Andy’s large-scale ceramic sculpture and vessel forms pay tribute to the creativity and innovation of the natural world. Andy was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and raised in Winona, Minnesota. He teaches Ceramics and Sculpture at Valley College in San Bernardino, California. Andy maintains a productive studio space in Redlands, California where he lives with his wife, two young boys, and ankle-biter dogs.

CV

Please see attached to see my Curriculum vitae.
CV.pdf