Lesley Baker is a ceramic artist, sculptor and educator. Before joining the faculty at RISD, she taught at the Herron School of Art and Design in Indianapolis, IN; UC Berkeley; and the California College of the Arts. She has an undergraduate degree in Architecture from Texas A&M University and an MFA in Ceramics from RISD. Her current work explores the resilience and power of nature by depicting adaptations of animals, idealized depictions in patterns and reuse of natural materials.
Ceramics and printmaking have a shared ethos in the production of multiples and process-driven technical methods. This is reflected in industry but is not often explored in an academic context. This course would be the first at RISD to explore the rich resources of the Ceramics and Printmaking Departments to promote research into innovative ways to combine the disciplines. For almost three centuries ceramics have been enhanced by printed elements. The combination of ceramic and print technologies have tremendous potential for new applications in functional and sculptural approaches to ceramic multiples and printed editions. RISD has all the facilities in ceramics and printmaking required to pursue research in this field. Students will learn ceramic techniques such as hand-building and slip casting to create forms to hold screen printed, intaglio, relief, and digital images. Historical techniques will be presented and new methods and combinations will be developed.
