Statement
My work has two primary inspirations. First, the Japanese aesthetic that views imperfection and irregularity as forms of beauty. Second, more on a subconscious level, the Abstract Expressionist painting movement.
My pots are hand built in a manner that allows the natural development of gesture and asymmetry. These two characteristics are the genuine result of the forming process, not an affectation. This construction method preserves the natural, inherent, plastic quality of the clay.
The processes of saggar and wood firing have provided me with a viable vehicle for surface articulation and enrichment. These firing methods create a varied palette of colors and textures. The intense interaction of fire and clay composes a distinct façade. The pot is riddled with textural imperfections and irregular non-descript patterns of color. These highly sought after characteristics are to be appreciated as positive attributes and not perceived as defects or flaws.
Those mottled surfaces of color and texture forge an indelible record of the entire firing. That composition documents conclusively the journey of the flame and the aggressive atmosphere generated within the kiln. The resulting image reflects the effect that Abstract Expressionism has had on my work.
In spite of their active physical posture, I view my pots as a quiet read, a read requiring a thorough, up-close perusal.
Biography
Charles Hindes received a B.F.A. from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, and an M.F.A. from the Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, R.I. He teaches beginning, intermediate, advanced, and graduate ceramics and has been a visiting artist at Penland School of Crafts, Penland, N.C., and the Cranbrook Academy of Art, Detroit, Mich. He also has conducted workshops and lectured throughout the United States and Canada. He has received National Endowment for the Arts grants from the Archie Bray Foundation as well as the Craftsman's Fellowship. His work can be found in numerous public and private collections.
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