Kari Weaver Hopkins
Kari Weaver Hopkins likes to explore and push the limits of clay with her curvaceous baskets that at once evoke a moving, flowing object and an overflowing abundance of potential contents. Her wheel thrown pottery is cut, stretched, bent and reassembled to create beautiful ceramic vessels that must be viewed from all sides.
Available Pieces
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No Longer Available
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Kari Weaver Hopkins at MudFire
Group show Asheville in Atlanta, September 2011
Kari Weaver Hopkins Artist Statement
I received my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Ceramics from Clemson University in 1996. I cut up my first pot in college and have since found myself unable to put the knife down.
Each of my pieces starts on the potter's wheel. I throw bottomless cylinders on bats, and when they have set up enough to be handled, I start cutting.
To create the baskets, I cut cylinders vertically as well as around the base to vary the level of the rim. I then spontaneously combine parts and assemble the body of the basket. The process of assembling the baskets lends itself to working quickly yet thoughtfully. The clay affords me a short window before I risk stressing the joints, which often results in cracks during firing. I enjoy exploring the limits of the clay, seeing just how far I can push the angles and interrupt the predictable curves while retaining the integrity of the form. My baskets are unique, one-of-a-kind pieces.
