ben peterson
Oakland, CALIFORNIA, USA
Ben Peterson, at work in his studio behind his apartment in Oakland, California.
Ben Peterson, Cinnabar, 2019. Ceramic, plaster, and encaustic, 17.5 ’’ H x 8’’ W x 7.25 ’’ D.
Ben Peterson, Surfer Rosa, 2019. Ceramic, plaster, and encaustic. 12.5’’ H x 15.25’’ W x 6.25’’ D
I am incredibly lucky—lucky that I am healthy; lucky that my wife is still employed; lucky that my studio is behind my apartment; lucky that my two children are here with us and young enough to think this is just an early start to summer. I have had a committed studio practice for over 20 years and am used to some level of adversity, but of course nothing like this. I primarily identify as a sculptor, working in a variety of media but mostly in clay. My pieces often look like architecture, design, archeological artifacts, or a slightly ‘off’ historical museum display. If I’m primarily known for anything, it would probably be for standalone ceramic objects, though this would be a fundamental misreading of my work. The context of the works’ display has always been of primary importance to me, specifically the relation of the work to its pedestal.
Even though I’m still working in clay, I have no idea when I’ll be able to fire. In the meantime, I am continuing to make drawings, as well as sculpt—in plaster, wood, and old cereal boxes. I tend to have a lot of materials on hand as I work in the construction industry and I hate waste. I am always saving plaster or plywood scraps for use at a later date, and it seems like that time has come.
My weekdays are spent taking care of my two children and trying my best not to throw up my hands at “distance learning.” I have the majority of the weekends to make work in my studio, and have been doing so for the past month or so since the quarantine took effect here in the Bay Area. I’m not sure how this period of time will change my work, but I will say that my commitment to working with scrap material has only intensified.
during the LOCKDOWN BEN PETERSON has been making DRAWINGs in charcoal, AND NEW SCULPTURES using various scrap MATERIALS he has to hand in HIS STUDIO, such as CLAY, PLASTER and OLD Cereal BOXEs.
Ben Peterson, Untitled #1, 2020. Ceramic (as yet unfired) 18’’ H x 8’’ W x 15’’ D
Ben Peterson, Scrap Vase, 2020. Ceramic, as yet unfired. 12’’ H x 7.5’’ W x 7’’ D
Ben Peterson, Untitled #2, 2020, Charcoal on paper. 9’’ H x 12’’ D
Ben Peterson, Cardboard Maquette #1, 2020. Cereal boxes, hot glue, 5’’ H x 4’’ W x 5’’ D.
Ben Peterson, Untitled #1, 2020. Charcoal on paper. 9’’ H x 12’’ D.
Ben Peterson, Untitled #2, 2020. Ceramic (as yet unfired). 20’’ H x 16’’ W x 16’’ D