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Yael Novak

Artist's Work

Upcycle IV

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    Work introduction

    Yael Novak, maker and designer, I attempt to navigate between independent work in my own studio and public involvement in an effort to establish Israeli ceramic art as part of the international clay community and to contribute to its professional dialogue with the world by initiating global ties and launching international connections.

    The wheel is my tool of choice. Forms thrown on the wheel are my point of departure for a creative, practical and whimsical range of thrown and altered tableware and one-off pieces designed for domestic use and enjoyment in the rituals of everyday life as well as vessel- based sculptural objects. Through the adoption of visual cultural icons originating in our everyday utilitarian essentials, I create objects offering commentary on the contemporary culture of mass consumerism, on life in the absence of boundaries, the juxtaposition of handmade and machine made / craft and industry.

    Playfulness in dialogue with sincerity parallels the need for moderation and limitation by means of repurposing and upcycling.  An assortment of recycled/repurposed kitchenware and readymade items are combined with wheel thrown porcelain forms to create objects of humor and whimsy. These assemblages enrich my vocabulary with new options and alternative ways of materializing creative visions and thoughts; the process inspiring and playful, it opens new and endless possibilities for fostering a personal and inventive contemporary aesthetic.

    BIO

    As a student at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in the early 1970's, I became involved in art education in the Youth Wing of the Israel Museum. Later at the Rockefeller Museum in East Jerusalem, I taught highly gifted children with special needs who came from both East and West Jerusalem.  The space which was allocated for teaching was originally a warehouse for Nabatean pottery and I incorporated the museum artifacts into my curriculum. In this environment of exquisite ancient pots began my fascination with ceramics, my career path changed and a lifelong commitment to clay ensued.

    I opened my independent ceramic studio in 1990 and have been working and exhibiting extensively locally and internationally.

    Over many years, I have been an active participant in the clay community. For the past several years I served as Director of Foreign Affairs, initially with the Ceramics Artists Association of Israel and currently with the Benyamini Contemporary Ceramics Center. In this capacity, I invited and hosted numerous artists from around the world as well as participated in several international workshops, symposia and conferences. Currently, I am the Foreign Affairs Consultant and the International Residencies Coordinator for the Benyamini Contemporary Ceramics Center in Tel Aviv.  In these roles, I promote close international ties in the clay community and realize my vision of bringing the ceramic world to Israel and Israeli ceramic art to the world. I strongly believe in international networking… “It expands and broadens our artistic spectrum, further contributes to personal, professional and communal growth, to the enrichment of the creative process and to the fostering of artistic and cultural exchange”.   

    Memberships:

    IAC – International Academy of Ceramics

    CAAI - Ceramics Artists Association of Israel

    NCECA – National Council for the Education of Ceramics

    Fusion – The Ontario Clay and Glass Association

    Artist Biography

    Yael Novak, maker and designer, I attempt to navigate between independent work in my own studio and public involvement in an effort to establish Israeli ceramic art as part of the international clay community and to contribute to its professional dialogue with the world by initiating global ties and launching international connections.

    The wheel is my tool of choice. Forms thrown on the wheel are my point of departure for a creative, practical and whimsical range of thrown and altered tableware and one-off pieces designed for domestic use and enjoyment in the rituals of everyday life as well as vessel- based sculptural objects. Through the adoption of visual cultural icons originating in our everyday utilitarian essentials, I create objects offering commentary on the contemporary culture of mass consumerism and on life in the absence of boundaries

    Playfulness in dialogue with sincerity parallels the need for moderation and limitation by means of repurposing and upcycling.  An assortment of recycled/repurposed kitchenware and readymade items are combined with wheel thrown porcelain forms to create objects of humor and whimsy. These assemblages enrich my vocabulary with new options and alternative ways of materializing creative visions and thoughts; the process inspiring and playful, it opens new and endless possibilities for fostering a personal and inventive contemporary aesthetic.

    Biography/cv

    I turned to ceramics after several years in special education.

    A chance encounter with an exquisite wood fired ewer led to a career change and a lifetime commitment to clay.

    Independent Studio since 1990

    Education

    1990 – 2005 – numerous professional workshops in Israel and abroad

    1989- Ort Hof Hasharon, Shefayim,   Ceramics

    1978 - York University, Toronto, Canada - Art and Education, M.A  

    1976 - George Brown College, Toronto, Canada - Ceramic Art and Design

    1973 - Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel -   English and Art History, B.A

    Professional Experience

    2010 – Present – Executive Board Member, International Liaison, Benyamini

                                   Contemporary Ceramics Center, Tel Aviv

    2009 – 2012 - ‘From the Melting Pot into the Fire’ - an extensive exhibition of

                               Contemporary Ceramics from Israel - Initiating, producing, curating   

                               and lecturing - U.S, Canada  

    1998 – 2013 - Board Member, Foreign Affairs, CAAI-Ceramic Artists

                               Association of Israel

    1978 – 2005 – Teaching and counselling in assorted special education institutes

    1982 – 1984 – Initiating Educational Programming and curating Emek Hefer   

                               Nature and Archaeology Museum  

    1969 – 1974 - Youth Wing, Israel Museum, Rockefeller Museum, Jerusalem

                              Teaching and counselling highly gifted children from East and West

                              Jerusalem

     

    Selected Exhibitions, Awards and Scholarships

     

    1. 2019  “Fireworks”, FUSION: The Ontario Clay and Glass Association,

                           The Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery, Waterloo, ON

    1. 2018  “Fireworks”, FUSION: The Ontario Clay and Glass Association, Thames

                 Art Gallery, Chatham, ON                     

    1. 2017  “Fireworks”, FUSION: The Ontario Clay and Glass Association,
    2.             Rail’s  End Gallery, Haliburton, ON                    
    1. 2016   The Apter Barrer Arts Center, Maalot-Tarshiha, ‘Distilling’
    1. 2016   Belger Arts Center, Kansas City, MO

               ‘Dimensions and the Space Between’

    1. 2016   San Pau Recinte Modernista (Sant Rafael Pavilion), Barcelona, Spain

                “Ceramic Design: Techno-Logical Implements, Contemporary         

                 Ceramics from Israel”, IAC – 2016 congress

    1. 2016   The Eighth Biennale for Israeli Ceramics,  Eretz Israel Museum,

                 Tel Aviv, “Wet/Fired: Matter as a Metaphorical Space”

    1. 2016   Belger Arts Center, Kansas City, MO, ‘Desire’
    2. 2015   Art Gallery for Craft and Design, Kibbutz Amir, Tribute to a Vase
    3. 2015   Benyamini Contemporary Ceramics center, In – House
    4. 2014   Benyamini Contemporary Ceramics Center, The Feast,

                On the Flip Side

    1. 2013   Knesset Israel – Permanent Collection of Israeli Ceramics ‘Identity, Clay’
    2. 2013   Benyamini Contemporary Ceramics Center, Okashi Museum, Acco
    3. 2013   Beit Kahane Museum, Ramat Gan, ‘Blue and White Now’            
    4. 2013   The Seventh Biennale for Israeli Ceramics, Eretz Israel Museum, Tel

                Aviv, ‘Imprinting on Clay’          

    1. 2012  The Whatcom Museum, Bellingham, WA

               NCECA 2012, Seattle

             “From the Melting Pot into the Fire, Contemporary Ceramics in Israel”

    1. 2011  The Sixth Biennale for Israeli Ceramics, Eretz Israel Museum, Tel Aviv

              ‘Techno-Logical Implements’

    1. 2010  Belger Arts, Kansas City, US

             ” From the Melting Pot into the Fire, Contemporary Ceramics in Israel”

    1. 2010  The Gardiner Museum, Toronto, Canada

             “From the Melting Pot into the Fire, Contemporary Ceramics in Israel”

    1. 2009  Solo exhibition, Beit Kahane Museum, Ramat Gan, “Recline”
    2. 2009  The Mint Museum of Art + Design, Charlotte, North Carolina

             “From the Melting Pot into the Fire, Contemporary Ceramics in Israel”

    1. 2008  The Fifth Biennale for Israeli Ceramics, Eretz Israel Museum, Tel Aviv

              “Clay, Sensation”

    1. 2008   Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show
    2. 2008   Faculty Show, Rail’s End Gallery, Haliburton, Ont. Canada
    3. 2008   Shlush Shloshim Gallery, Tel Avivm “Rhythms”
    4. 2008   Design Gallery, Hankin College, Holon

               “Shelf Life”

    1. 2007   “inbox” , Shlush Shloshim Gallery, Tel Aviv
    2. 2006   The Fourth Biennale for Israeli Ceramics, Eretz Israel Museum, Tel Aviv

                “Territory and Identity, Between Ceramics and Architecture”

    1. 2006   “ReOriented Design”, Design Biennale, St. Etienne, France
    2. 2006   Recent Work,  Haliburton School of the Arts, Haliburton, Ont. Canada
    3. 2006   “Israeli Contemporary Applied Arts”, Ben Uri Gallery,

               The London Jewish Museum of Art, London, U.K.

    1. 2006   “Goblets” , The Gallery, Shoeva, Jerusalem
    2. 2006  “The Vessel and Stand” , Hagvulot Museum, Metula

              “Sleepless”, First Prize

    1. 2005   Residency, Watershed Center for the Ceramic Art, Maine, U.S.A
    2.            Awarded by AIDA – Association of Israel’s Decorative Arts
    3. 2005  “PromiseDesign”, the Triennale, Milan
    4. 2005  “PromiseDesign”’, “designmai”, Berlin, Copenhagen
    5. 2004   The Third Biennale for Israeli Ceramics,  Eretz Israel Museum, Tel Aviv                             

                 “Design, Art, Design”

    1. 2004    “Tea Time” , Gallerina, Bat Shlomo
    2. 2004    “Tea Pots” , Art Gallery, Tel Hai
    3. 2003    Clayart, Wales, U.K
    4. 2003    “Toys”, Shlush Shloshim Gallery, Tel Aviv
    5. 2002    The Second Biennale for Israeli Ceramics, Eretz Israel Museum, Tel Aviv               

                   “Collaborations”  

    1. 2001    “The Art of the Vessel”, Beit Kahane Museum, Ramat Gan
    2. 2000    The Alix De Rothschild Award Scheme

                “The Art of the Vessel”, Third Prize

    1. 2000    “The Art of the Vessel”, Art Gallery, Tel Hai
    2. 2000    The First  Biennale for Israeli Ceramics, Eretz Israel Museum, Tel Aviv

                “Clay 2000”

    1. 2000    “Vase Movement”, Hankin College, Design Gallery, Holon    
    2. 1999    “Lipton’s Five O’clock Art”, Shlush Shloshim Gallery, Tel Aviv

                “Potters Set a Table”, Beit Kahane Museum, Ramat Gan

                “Plates and Platters”, Hankin College, Design Gallery, Holon

               “Designer Crafts of Israel”, Sternberg Centre, London, U.K

                “Bowls”, Shlush Shloshim Gallery, Tel Aviv

    1. 1998    “Potters Set a Table”, Art Gallery, Tel Hai
    2. 1998    “cups”, Hankin College, Design Gallery, Holon
    3. 1997    “16 Ceramic Artists”, Performing Art Centre, Rishon L’Zion
    4. 1995    “Ceramics and Painting, Painting Ceramics”, Shlush 30 Gallery  Tel Aviv
    5. 1994    “Table Settings”, Shlush Shloshim Gallery, Tel Aviv
    6. 1993   “Containers”, Shlush Shloshim Gallery, Tel Aviv

     

    Works in private and corporate collections:  Israel, U.S.A, Canada, U.K. Belgium, France, Japan, Germany, Italy

     

    Participated in several professional workshops, symposia and conferences in Israel and abroad

     

    Memberships

    IAC – International Academy of ceramics

                 CAAI - Ceramics Artists Association of Israel

    NCECA – National Council for the Education of Ceramics

    Fusion – The Ontario Clay and Glass Association

    Artaxis - an evolving independent network of artists

     

    WeChat Official Account

    Weibo QR Code

    Phone：010-84015509

    Fax：010-84015509

    Email：718922066@qq.com

    Address: First Floor, Pingan Mansion, No. 100, Dongsi Shitiao, Dongcheng District, Beijing.

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