Christina Andreasson ART
SCULPTING
About me
I am a ceramic sculptorist exploring floral and sculptor paths on global grounds.
It was an instant love affair and it still is. I wanted to pick up a creative force that engages me during the dark Swedish winternights. Maybe it was an easy transition; moving my hands out of late fall gardening grounds into tactile clay!
End of class and some hours later I realized that I had created my first sculpture! That is how my sculptor journey started 10 years ago! On top of all energizing creativity; working in clay empowers me in many aspects. It gives me a tremendous intuitive and meditative sense of power. It is, as well an ongoing continuitation of healing power.
My name is Christina “Kicki” Andreasson, I am Swedish and living in Washington D.C., USA. I am a contemporary figurative sculptor moving between classic sculpting and creative ceramics. All my sculptures are unique and one of a kind. Besides clay I work in a variety of mediums such as stone, wood and plaster.
My approach when sculpting emanates out of an idea or vision of what I want to achieve. It can either be the challenge of capturing the human form through observing a live model or interpreting an architectural object into a human form.
As my work process comes along my curiosity guides me further into different perspectives and my interpretation often turns into something that I did not perceive initially. I think it shows my way of being pragmatic by all means in life. I always bear in mind that there is always a good solution around the corner. “My women” sculptures are expressing some kind of positiveness which also reflects my way of being. I am and will always be a good fighter of positive things in life.
Welcome to my world of being, seeing and sculpting!
02 portfolio
03 artist statement
As soon as I get clay in my hands I take off on my journey where time and space do not exist. Here and now become eternity. With an open mind, I feel a total freedom to interpret my experiences and observations of life and transform it into ceramic sculpture forms. Quite often, my clay work translates into a crossover of classical figure sculpturing, with or without proportions, paired with hand built ceramic forms. I cannot finalize my clay objects until they breathe on their own and become a real subject with their own personality. It can be a facial expression of sorrow, astonishment or a gesture that expresses personality and strength. Its visual appeal can be as diverse as subtle beauty to suggestive unpleasantness. It goes against the grain of traditional perfection. I want it to be a conversational piece of art where the viewer will be affected and/or confused that ordinary subjects have turned into something extraordinary.
I am striving to be authentic and I stand behind what I am expressing. This means that I am sharing my thoughts, I am visualizing situations that intrigues me in life.
I think my sculptures are pervaded by values from my Swedish upbringing. My sculptures include expressions of simplicity and minimalism and originate from my close relationship with nature and the impact of adapting life to daylight and nighttime during the dramatic seasonal changes in Sweden.
04 work process & education
I hand build each sculpture carefully. Depending of my idea and vision, I choose earthenware, stoneware or porcelain clay to underscore their individual expressions. Technically, I build the sculpture out of thick coils or rolled out slabs. Sometimes I simply carve the sculpture out of the mass of clay. Because of the slow, gradual unfolding of my clay sculpture, I care for it very delicately when entering the finishing stage of meticulous details. I care profoundly to encapsulate the inner connection, have her breathing, before I let the piece go into the kiln. Sometimes I let the piece be by its own, plain with no surface finishes at all or I simply burnish the greenware with a bit of plastic to create a slight sheen.
My surface palette is a combination of slips, engobes, terra sigillata, mason stains, underglazes, oxides, cold washes (ink, acrylics etc.) and sometimes various commercial glazes. I work in multiple layers and when I reach the point of connection; mostly the eyes, in combination with a distinguished colour palette, I let it go! It has a life by its own. I finally fire her 1-2 times depending on what she tells me to do. Before final take-off I highlight her appearance with different pigmented waxes and oils.
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Early on, I decided to build my sculptor knowledge upon taking independent classes with highly skilled and inspirational teachers. My sculptor career kicked off in 2009 when living in Brussels. Later on I gained a lot of knowledge under the guidance of the artist Karin Johansson at Folkuniversitetet in Stockholm.
An exciting sculptor path began when moving to Washington D.C. in 2014. Attending excellent workshops and classes at Washington Studio School - D.C, Art League School, Alexandria - Virginia with Paul Lucchesi, Thanassi Papapostolou, George Tkabladze, Kathlyn Avila-Reyes, Rick Casalli and Kirsten Stingle. Penland School of Art with Cristina Cordova and Jason Bige Burnett.
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Associated member of National Sculpture Society.
05 contact & news
christinaandreassonart@gmail.com"
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The Art League Gallery at Torpedo Factory, Alexandria selected my "Chaco" sculpture for the January 2020 show juried by Catherine Haggarty. More on Instagram
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"Where the light gets in" selected by Juror Allison Nance for the Open exhibit May 5- June 7 2020 at The Art League Gallery, Alexandria.