By Dean Poling
VALDOSTA — Valdosta State University Art continues its series of visiting ceramics artists with A.J. Argentina and Beau Raymond coming this week to campus.
Both live in the Atlanta area.
They work at the Roswell Art Center West.
Argentina is a 2000 bachelor’s degree graduate of VSU. He earned his masters of fine arts in 2004 from Georgia State.
His current works employ vapor-fired thrown objects in a soda kiln, says Michael Schmidt, VSU Art’s ceramics instructor.
“I strive for my pieces to transcend their utilitarian boundaries and to function equally as sculptural elements,” Argentina says in an artistic statement. “I am interested in composition, surface, and craftsmanship as well as utility, and for the combination of these elements to create a dialogue between maker, user, and object.”
Argentina creates vessels that can be used or enjoyed as beautiful pieces of art. Or potentially both.
Raymond is from Louisiana.
He received his bachelor’s in 2004 from Nicholls State and his masters of fine arts in 2008 from the University of Florida. His concentration delves into the figure, regularly using himself as a model for his works.
Some of his works are three-dimensional cartoons invested with humor and caricature one would expect to more likely find in a pen-and-ink drawing.
Argentina and Raymond demonstrate their techniques, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Room 136, VSU Fine Arts Building, corner of Oak and Brookwood.
Students, faculty and the public are invited to attend. At 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, they present a public lecture in UC 2004, south end of the VSU University Center. For More information: Call (229) 249-4913; e-mail: mschmidt@valdosta.edu
