So young, so accomplished: Blayze Buseth interview

Arts | August 24th, 2016

By Jacinta Macheel Zens

Fergus Falls ceramicist Blayze Buseth has been working with clay since he was a tween, spent time in China to study his craft at the same age that most people are focusing on what they are planning to do for the weekend, has had multiple shows in both regional galleries and galleries in China, and, most recently, had a solo show at the Rourke Art Museum. This is all before the age of 25.

HPR sat down with Blayze to get some insight into how someone so young can be so accomplished.

High Plains Reader: How old were you when you began working with clay?

Blayze Buseth: I was introduced to clay in a summer hand-building course when I was 12 years old.

HPR: How you get involved with the arts?

BB: Designs and illustrations filled my childhood. When I was home you could find me lying on my bedroom floor drawing and blending colors, and when you found me in the wilderness you would have seen me whittling away on walking sticks (I was a boy scout). As I grew up I valued clay more than any other medium. It was a material that could be formed into anything and carved as precisely as a person was steady. Soon after working with clay, I began carving it with precision instruments. I had an interest in creating lasting relics.

HPR: You studied in China for a period of time. How long did you live there?

BB: I was abroad for three months.

HPR: What did you study?

BB: After attending an artist lecture by Boomer Moore, who was born and raised in Fergus Falls, I was introduced to an opportunity to study abroad. I studied abroad with West Virginia University. With my small class of 11 students, I studied ceramics in China, in one of the porcelain capitals of the world, Jingdezhen.

HPR: How does that experience influence your most recent work?

BB: The Chinese are very skilled artists. While I was overseas I learned about their process of making pottery, molding and finishing their ceramics. I have taken a lot from my experience. I am using some of the techniques in molding and carving, routinely.

My current bodies of work include Legacy Vessel and Attribute products. Chinese artwork is filled with symbolism. If you don’t understand the symbolism you will not comprehend the meaning of the work. Attributes are a straightforward approach to the use of symbols. Each Attribute carving is a symbol that represents a personal characteristic.

HPR: What are you currently working on?

BB: Currently I am working on two bodies of work; Legacy Vessels and Attributes. These works incorporate themes such as celebration and remembrance. I am combining 21st century 3d printing technology and relief realism carving techniques to create hybrid ceramic products. One of these is essentially a vase that can be personalized using a collection of pre-made or customizable symbols. Legacy Vessels are monuments that recognize and archive lives lived, as well as the living, through highly detailed surface carvings of porcelain containers.

HPR: Where can people view and buy your work?

BB: People can view and purchase my work on my website: at www.bbuseth.com. I enjoy unique customer requests, so feel free to drop me an e-mail if there is something you have in mind. I also create custom pendants. Because I can make replicas, group or organization pendants are also possible.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

Blayze Buseth Fine Arts

1416 S Sherman St, Fergus Falls, Minn.

(218) 731-1900 B_buseth06@hotmail.com

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