This week Connecticut Creative had the opportunity to talk with ceramic artist Lyn Harper, who echoed these same sentiments and described how nature and technology influence her work.

Connecticut Creative: How long have you been working with ceramics?

Lyn Harper: Probably for 6 or 7 years. I was doing mosaics and then needed to fire my own tiles to get the colors and textures that I needed and that led me into doing 3D ceramics.

Connecticut Creative: The pieces featured on your web site are mainly orb-shaped forms. Is that a recurring theme in your work?

Lyn Harper: That’s been the last couple of years. I’ve been doing some 2D stuff. So I’ve taken the same textures and things that I’ve been working with on the pods and orbs and I’m doing wall pieces.

Connecticut Creative: When you start a piece, do you have an idea of where it’s going to go or do you let it unfold as you’re working?

Lyn Harper: I like to start with a form. So like those orbs and those pods, I know the form that I want. And then I look at a lot of organic things. I look at photographs of seeds or microscopic looks at different textures and I kind of take things from there.

Connecticut Creative: Is nature always a theme in your work?

Lyn Harper: No. I really love technology, and actually some of the work I’m doing now I’m using images of old patent drawings for clocks or these devices that they were dreaming up in the 1900s. I love old drawings that engineers have done to describe what they’re going to do so I kind of overlay that on top of these scratchy, weathered surfaces. I think it’s the science of looking at the things close up and really seeing what makes things work.

Connecticut Creative: Are your pieces more artistic or do you create functional pieces as well?

Lyn Harper: I don’t do functional pieces, so they’re more sculptural.

Connecticut Creative: Did you always know you wanted to attend art school?

Lyn Harper: I actually started out in engineering. I had this little science thing going and then got there and said, ‘no, I’ve got to go to art school.’ But I still had that geek side of me, which I why I work in TV with all this technology. I just love technology. I went to art school for two-dimensional work and then I went to Wesleyan for graduate school and continued on with the 2D work. But I was working in TV by then and have just concurrently done both things.

Connecticut Creative: How did you get involved with Open Studio Weekend?

Lyn Harper:I participate as a member of Artists in Real Time. Last year was my first year. I sold a few pieces and it was a good amount of traffic going through, but it was a tough year. But it was still exciting. It was exciting being in the space with that many people and that many artists and having a venue that people are going to look at art.

Connecticut Creative: Do you exhibit other places as well?

Lyn Harper: I am a member of Wesleyan Potters (www.wesleyanpotters.com). They have a big show every year . I do that and I’ve also done some small shows and juried shows around the state.

Connecticut Creative: Looking down the road, do you know what the next phase of your work will be?

Lyn Harper: I think I’m going to do more large-scale 2D works. I’m doing individual pieces that are maybe 6” by 6” but they’re going to composite so they’ll be a bigger wall piece that might be 4’ by 4’.

For more information, visit Lyn Harper’s web site at www.lynharper.com/.

This is the fourth piece in a series profiling artists exhibiting at Hartford’s Open Studio Weekend. The event begins with a gallery opening November 13th and runs 11 am to 5 pm November 14th and 15th. For more information, visit openstudiohartford.com.

A former potter, Lis-el came to jewelry making after surgery left her unable to continue pottery, having then to find a new creative outlet. Seven years ago, her sensitivities led her to the craft of jewelry making. Before long, she couldn’t keep it to herself.

“I feel that people need more creativity in their lives,” says Lis-el, who regularly holds specialty workshops on elements of form, use of tools, glass cutting, hammering, soldering and other skill sets at Art and Soul for anyone interested.

With only the dexterity of their hands and the steady smolder of a flame, Lis-el and her students craft real works of art through the simple mediums of glass, metal and silver clay.

“It is through the firing in the kiln that they are brought from unexciting and dull states to pieces of lasting beauty,” She says.

Weather an opal adorned metal filigree, brightly colored cabochon ring, or a silver clay pendant with the shape of a dragon impressed upon its center, each piece is beautiful and unique, despite differing levels of experience. As Lis-el says, “A true beginner can make something stunningly beautiful”

Many of the pendants and brooches, necklaces and earrings on display for view and purchase at the studio feature intricately crafted folkloric and mythical images.

The Norse World Tree, the Celtic knot, the Eye of Horus, early Christian and even steam-punk inspired symbols are just a few of the designs embossed on finished pieces.

These references are no coincidence for Lis-el, who is also an interfaith minister, having studied several ancient philosophies and belief systems. Deriving much of her inspiration from their inherent imagery, she connects the creative process to spirituality.

“I believe through being creative we learn to express our own inner Divinity.” She says.

Artisan jewelry making is a tradition with roots stretching thousands of years deep, its various methods and styles outliving the myriad civilizations they grew from. Art and Soul places the tools in the hands of common creative people, making jewelry a personal work of art, and not just an expensive commodity.

For more information about Art and Soul Gallery, class and workshop times, viewing or purchasing pieces, visit www.artandsoulct.com