It is always welcoming to walk into E Drumm Designs’ light filled space of curated treasures at 21A Spruce Street, but especially so when Elisa Drumm Van Auken, owner, is hosting a reception for a new show. Such was the case July 31st, when artists Ariel Matisse and Duke Stafford (my hub!) were featured.
Matisse’s wire sculptures and Chinese inspired paintings are complemented by Stafford’s sagger and raku fired vases and vessels.
Matisse (great granddaughter of Henri, and daughter of artists Linda Hoffman and Paul Matisse) is a multidisciplinary artist whose work is deeply influenced by her early life surrounded by artists at the bucolic Old Frog Pond Farm. She has a foundation in traditional Chinese painting and Western techniques. Her sculptural work features expressive wire figures and trees, extending this same sensitivity to line and form.
Matisse draws much of her inspiration directly from the natural world, particularly trees, growth, and the quiet architecture of branches and roots, filtered through the brushwork discipline of her Chinese painting training. Her pieces invite the viewer in, arousing curiosity and a closer look to take in the detail in the wire, or the feeling evoked by the brush work in her paintings.
For Matisse, wire and brush share a rule: there is no erase. Once steel wire is bent to shape, it work-hardens, and straightening it back out again is nearly impossible; the shape holds. A brushstroke works the same way. Nothing gets painted over or covered up, so each mark stays visible exactly as it was made. Every bend and every stroke is final, which means every decision matters as she makes it.
Her work has been featured in “Art for the Awake: Mindfulness and Presence in Art,” UVA Gallery at the Arthaus, Boston, MA in 2023, and, in 2021, with Linda Hoffman, “When We Were Trees: Hopkinton Center for the Arts, Hopkinton, MA”, as well as part of a display entitled, “A Sense of Place: Nashoba Valley: Artists and Historical Legacy Celebrated” in Groton, MA. The exhibit explored the connection between history, place and art, with artists creating original pieces that reflected their vision of the environment. Her contribution was described in Artscope Magazine in 2021. Matisse also has a solo show, “Blossoming” currently on view at 19 Carter in Berlin through August.
Duke Stafford came to pottery later in life. An early career as a sheet metal mechanic, he has always loved working with his hands. When he became a project manager for a sheet metal and piping company, he needed an outlet for hands-on creativity. One pottery class twelve years ago and he was hooked. The process of throwing clay on a wheel in addition to creating glazes and trying out various forms of firing have all contributed to his ever deepening passion for ceramics. There is an excitement in opening the kiln to see what has occurred during the firing process. It is a step into the unknown because no one has complete control over what happens in the kiln. Stafford has learned not to become too attached to any one piece, as even the smallest bit of moisture can result in a crack or a broken pot. He works with practical forms, such as bowls and platters, but in this show has focused on alternative types of firings that bring out different aspects of the clay which are intriguing and exotic.
Saggar fired pieces are polished and surrounded with organic materials and minerals inside a protective container (saggar). As the kiln heats, these materials smolder, burn and vaporize, leaving smoky markings, earthy colors and one-of-a-kind patterns that become part of the clay itself.
Raku fired pieces combine heat, timing and a bit of unpredictability to create unique pieces. Each piece is removed from the kiln while still glowing red-hot and placed into a container filled with combustible material such as sawdust or newspaper. As the flames and smoke work their magic, the glaze transforms, leaving brilliant metallic lusters, iridescent colors and dramatic crackle patterns. Every firing is a collaboration between the artist, the fire, and the elements, making each finished piece truly one of a kind. Indeed, each piece has its own character and beauty.
The reception reflected the enthusiasm and vitality that art brings to people, the joy in creation, in learning, and in being able to talk to the artist about the process, challenges, and delights of the work. It brings a personal connection to purchasing a piece when one can meet the artist. There is a sense of learning and growth that extends beyond the pieces themselves and leaves a warmth in having them close at hand and in the home.
The show runs until September 18th at E Drumm Designs, 21A Spruce Street in Acton.
Meg Stafford is an award winning author of two memoirs, speaker, storyteller and columnist. Her forty years as a licensed psychotherapist have provided invaluable insight into the quirks and passions of the human experience.
