Monica Rudquist Throws and Assembles Porcelain to Make Both Functional and Sculptural Pieces

By Sharon Parker

Monica Rudquist is a potter and sculptor working in porcelain to make functional pieces and also sculptural works formed by cutting and assembling objects originally shaped on the wheel.

She is returning for her second LoLa art crawl and will be showing her work in her home, 3101 36th Ave. S., on her front porch. (Site no. 19 on the art crawl map. Pick up a map this evening at the Longfellow Corn Feed, or look for them at area businesses. Click here for a printable alphabetical list of all artists with their site numbers.)

Please tell us more about your process.

I work with clay. Specifically I work with porcelain on a potter's wheel.The potter’s wheel has captivated me as a tool ever since I learned how to throw. The wide variety of ways to form a simple bowl or cylinder has always amazed me. I use porcelain because of its fluidity and responsiveness. 

My bowls and cylinders retain the movement of my hands even as they become building blocks for larger pieces. My love of the wheel has led me to use the thrown form as a starting point for both my functional and sculptural work.  The process of cutting and assembling these thrown pieces allows me to continue the dialogue with the clay and the wheel. This process spurs more questions and responses to the developing forms by creating new juxtapositions in surprising places.

What inspires/informs your art?

I strive to create work that explores the space between function and sculpture, while remaining connected to the tradition of the wheel.

What do you like about LoLa? Why did you join?

Longfellow is a great neighborhood and is the home of many  artists. I like the fact that LoLa does not jury the artists who want to participate. LoLa offers an opportunity to see a wide variety of work created here in our own neighborhood. I joined LoLa because I live and work in this neighborhood.

Are you doing anything special for the art crawl?

We are planning on having refreshments and lots of great conversation!

Monica’s functional work can be found at Northern Clay Center, the Guthrie Shop, the Weisman Museum Shop and the Grand Hand Gallery in St. Paul. She also has an installation as part of Made Here MN in a storefront in City Center, downtown Minneapolis. An upcoming exhibition, Constructed Visions, is scheduled for next winter at the Katherine G. Murphy Gallery at St. Catherine University.

See more of her work at Monica Rudquist’s website.