Terrene

About Terrene

This contemporary sculptural ceramic vessel by Steven Heinemann is designed to be mounted on the wall.

Lauded internationally as a major Canadian artist, Steven Heinemann’s distinctive oeuvre has long challenged the traditional boundaries of ceramic art. He uses slip cast molding—a technique that allows him to hand-build shapes that cannot be easily made on a potter’s wheel. The elongated organic form and colour of Terrene is inspired by nature. Its rich rust-coloured surface is achieved through meticulous layering of clay that adds intriguing detail as each layer dries. This natural effect is a signature of Heinemann’s work. Terrene means ‘of or like earth.’

“Terrene is representative of a decades-long exploration of clay-on-clay, i.e. rather than familiar glass/glaze, its 'skin' is created by a buildup of clay slips. As an earthen layer, it does its thing of shrinking and cracking, revealing the core below.” Steven Heinemann

“The ceramic sculptures of Steven Heinemann are astonishing, mysterious enigmas inviting thoughts about being and non-being, the tangible and the intangible.
His thirty-five-year practice is deeply rooted in the principles of the 1960s studio craft movement, which prioritizes process, material, and the non-functional object to create autonomous sculpture.” Dr. Rachel Gotlieb, curator and historian

Steven Heinemann earned an MFA from Alfred University, NY, in 1983 and has taught in Canada and the US. Heinemann has exhibited continuously since his first solo exhibition at the Ontario Crafts Council in 1982. His work is held in museums the world over. Heinemann has received many national and international awards, including the Saidye Bronfman Award, Canada’s highest recognition of achievement in contemporary craft.