Jenn Demke-Lange
November 19, 2012Graduating from Emily Carr Institute in 1999, Aaron Nelson travelled to Chicago to assist prominent ceramic artist Ruth Duckworth. He established successful studio practices in Chicago, Vancouver, Victoria, and Montana and is now currently residing in Medicine Hat.
Aaron Nelson has taught art in a variety of contexts and brought his enthusiasm and passion to many different learning situations, from colleges and universities in Chicago, to youth at risk in Victoria. In addition, he has taught technical workshops on topics such as glaze chemistry, kiln building, mold making, and wheel throwing in both the US and Canada. Most recently he worked at the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, Montana as a consultant. This experienced challenged him to provide technical advice to studio potters and educational institutions throughout the US.
Aaron has built a variety of kilns; salt, soda, raku, reduction, and an innovative round fibre-lined kiln. By creating carefully considered designs and using the highest quality materials and burner systems, Aaron’s kilns are custom built for each specific user to provide years of service.
In addition to his work as a consultant and technical educator, Aaron also maintains a studio practice focussed on producing finely crafted porcelain wares. His designs focus on simplicity and elegance. By emphasizing the translucent nature of porcelain in combination with richly glazed surfaces, Aaron seeks to create unique ceramic designs that compliment the contemporary home. He is influenced both by a strong sense of traditional Asian design as well as modern European design. The marriage of these two aesthetics with porcelain allows him to create objects that harmonize with contemporary settings while highlighting the handmade quality of the object.
Aaron Nelson is committed to designing, producing, and promoting fine craft on a small scale. Aaron was awarded Silver for Excellence in Craft from Circle Craft in 2004 and has been featured in The Chicago Tribune, The Chicago Reader and Contact magazine. He is represented by galleries in Canada and the US.
