Madeline Kaczmarczyk
Adjunct Professor
Art
| Degree | Institution |
|---|---|
| B.A. | Aquinas College |
Madeline Kaczmarczyk was a professional potter before joining the faculty at Aquinas College in the Ceramics Dept. in 1999. Her personal work incorporates wheel throwing and hand building with an interest in combining materials and technology with clay. She has exhibited at the Smithsonian's Renwick Gallery, the American Craft Museum in NYC, as well as national juried art fairs and galleries. Most recently she has created ceramic tile installation at St. Joseph the Worker and Holy Name of Jesus parishes in the Grand Rapids area. Her work is included in many private collections as well as several national museums. Madeline has a BA from Aquinas College with advanced studies in clay at Pewabic Pottery in Detroit. She regularly leads ceramic workshops at Midwest colleges and ceramic centers.
Coming of age in my early art practice I was primarily influenced by traditional wheel thrown ceramics. Japanese and English stoneware appealed to me for their quiet simplicity and form. I still consider my time on the potter's wheel as a special occasion where mastery is illusive but none the less alluring. However, over the years I began to develop a desire for a personal reflection of my identity. Growing up as a Polish Catholic on the east side of Detroit, it occurred to me that copying Japanese brushwork as surface decoration had nothing to do with my environment, upbringing, or personal taste. Slowly over time, a second body of work reflected my interest in pattern, color, and traditional techniques of many cultures. From the fine, luster glazed porcelain of French Sevres ware to native Zuni beadwork; all these influences have left their mark on my current work. I find the more challenging and complex works the most interesting and rewarding as the process can be meditative in its intensity.