Jen Labie Pottery Charlotte VT

Jen Labie received her B.A. in Studio Art from the University of Vermont. She studied pottery, batik, and silk painting in Florence, Italy and continued to focus on majolica painting in Faenza. Late she spent a summer in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, at the Laloba Ranch Clay Center assisting with workshops. Currently she has a studio in Ferrisburgh and teaches both batik and pottery. Her work in exhibited in galleries throughout Vermont. Because of my attraction of functional art, I like the concept of integrating art into our daily lives. Creating an object with a purpose without sacrificing aesthetics is continually rewarding. This is why I was immediately drawn to wheel-throwing. As soon as I started working with clay, I became fascinated by its endless challenges and possibilities. The more I threw, the more I realized that the creative process was equally important to the final product. My love of symmetry, patterns and especially radial designs has inspired my own work. While studying in Italy, my experimentation with majolica glazing piqued my interest in the relationship between negative space and color. At the same time, I was introduced to textiles, where I concentrated primarily on design. Batik and silk painting allowed me the freedom to explore colors and patterns, which was congruent with my interest. I enjoy working in different mediums because they provide me with great diversity. When working with clay, I focus on form, shape and function. I strive for elegant and simple forms. When painting on silk, I am completely absorbed in the colors and the overall design I am creating. Each medium I work in becomes an extension of myself in a different way. Hopefully my pieces reflect my mood, style and personality. I believe that maintaining a good balance between sharpening one’s skills and simply creating is crucial for an artist to grow. When I am in this mode I find myself receiving just as much energy as I have put in, while each piece sparks a new idea. Jen was a Featured Artist at Art on Main in December, 2003 and in October, 2007.