Karen Vogt – portfolio

Contact the artist

01367 241707
karen@vogt.org.uk

Exhibition information

From an early age I loved drawing, modelling and carving and over the years I have chosen clay and stone as my favourite media to work with. Through hand building and using simple tools I like to feel I am part of the age-old tradition of working these ancient materials for domestic use and artistic expression.

The natural world is the source of much of my inspiration – seed pods, fossils, birds, leaves, animals and the human body – as well as music and mathematical patterns in nature. The Uffington White Horse, in whose shadow I have lived most of my life, is a continuing source of mystery and fascination to me.

I will be exhibiting sculptures in a variety of different stones, from beautifully coloured and patterned soapstones to honey coloured local limestones, full of tiny shells and fossils. Some are almost pocket sized while others require a bit of heavy lifting! Most are smoothed and finely sanded to reveal the beauty of the stone beneath.

My clay pieces are generally small and made from quite rough Crank clay. Visitors are intrigued by my ‘wobble pots’, which never fall over! My ‘cane toppers’ adorn many a local bamboo garden cane.

I will be demonstrating simple clay techniques during Artweeks and look forward to inspiring others to discover this wonderful and versatile medium.

 

Artist information

Faringdon has been my home for over 40 years, during which time I have made various contributions to public art in the town: Painted bollards and a laser cut metal noticeboard around a tree in the Market Place; A 2m by 6m ‘Garden of Eden’ mural in the Catholic Church courtyard and four stone finials, based on Faringdon’s famous sponge gravel fossils, which top the gateways leading into the Folly Park View estate.

I have been a member of Faringdon Art Society for many years and always take part in their art shows and craft fairs. This year I won the sculpture prize at the Swire Ridgeway Arts Prize in Uffington with my stone carving ‘Circling Kites’. Every May I exhibit my work in Great Coxwell for Oxfordshire Artweeks and look forward to seeing you there!