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Artist: Dotti Berry
Artists » Dotti Berry
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Craft Medium:
Clay, Metal, Mixed Media
Artist's Statement: I work in clay, metal repousse and paper quilling. It’s simply not possible for me to exist without making art of some kind each day. I am moved by so many things but have a strong streak of quirky or irreverent humor. It’s that joy and laughter and enthusiasm for life which I hope is what people connect with in my art.
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Artist Works:
Artist Biography:
I have made art as long as I can remember…My first titled piece was “Go-Go-Girls,” a inspired by Goldie Hawn dancing in a bikini with wacky painted-on tattoos (on the TV show “Laugh-In”). I was 3 years old and my Mom was gently horrified at her little girl’s choice of subject matter, but she dutifully wrote the title for me and has kept this weird drawing all these years.
I grew up in the River Parishes and early on developed a love for Gulf Coast wildlife, and in particular, Louisiana wildlife. My Dad was an amateur photographer with a passion for photographing wildflowers, and my Mom is a skilled birdwatcher. For years there were many outdoor outings when Dad would have his camera focused on a plant, and Mom would have binoculars pointing into a tree, so how could I not take a keen interest myself?
After years of making art on my own, I studied design and art in college. Working in design honed my color usage and sense of good design, and gave me many techniques for developing art which aren’t always taught in studio classes. Taking studio classes inspired me to try many media and exposed me to traditional and experimental art forms. Teaching art to students from around the for over 9 years allows me to share my joy in all forms of art and to research a variety of media. I have taken dozens of classes and workshops over the years. These include studying repousse with Maricela Gutierrez of Mexico, classes at Silvermine Arts School in Ridgefield, Connecticut, and at the Brookfield Craft Center in Brookfield, Connecticut. My work has been published in books. I have won many awards on the national, regional and local levels and my work is in private collections in 6 countries and 35 states.
I work in clay, metal and paper quilling. My inspirations are shaped by the materials themselves, the beautiful and strange and unique animals and plants here in Southern Louisiana, and spiritual themes. I always keep a sketchbook with me, and work out odd ideas, jot down dreams, thoughts, or pieces of overheard conversation or things I see, and often these bits will work their way into a piece days or years later.
I am very intrigued by the materials and like to experiment with, working with the properties of the media. In clay I especially enjoy hand-building and carving pieces, and painting with a variety of glazes and underglazes. In metal I am inspired by the ancient technique of repousse’ which has been practiced by humans since the Bronze Age, changed over time in various cultures and countries by their culture and tradition. Paper quilling was earliest practiced by French and Italian nuns, who decorated sacred objects. The quill of a bird’s feather was their primary tool, which is where the craft got its name.
Email to Dotti Berry
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