Bud and Betty Micheels
student artist-in-residence grant

MICHELLE FISCHER 1995-96

Throughout this year I have taken the idea of handbuilding and allowed myself the space to grow and change as my work needed to. Initially I had planned to build larger more cylindrical forms starting from the floor. However, the sectioning became a problem because I had no previous experience in doing this. It was less frustrating to work at a smaller scale while using the method of sectioning. The Bud and Betty Micheels Artist-in-Residence Art and Technology Grant has allowed me to explore other avenues of the ceramic realm that I had not the chance to do before receiving this grant. I wanted to incorporate light within my pieces and was very concerned on how to do this. I wanted to have the light just be a bit of a curious wonder within the ceramic forms. I didn't want the forms to put off light as if it were a lamp of some sort, but rather to bring the viewer in closer to the forms and make it a more intimate association. The idea of bringing art and technology together made me wonder what could I possibly do to make this project come together. Light in itself has been technology and to combine it with ceramic intrigued me. The process of the ceramic area has been an evolving technology but I wanted to add more to the medium. This grant has allowed me the space, time and finances to explore the possibilities of my idea. My work has always been very textural and organic in qualities. I was very interested to begin handbuilding, which is something I have had no previous experience with before this grant. I have had many semesters of ceramics but never thought I would have the time or space to pursue my ideas of handbuilding until I graduated from University of Wisconsin-Stout. I would like to thank all who made this grant possible, it was an experience I will always look back on.

"Suess Series #1" ceramic