Ben McManus, 2020
AP Art, Ms. Sylvia
Ceramics, Mr. Mess
ARTIST STATEMENT
I am Ben McManus. As a fledgling ceramicist I was fond of throwing whatever at the wall to see what stuck. What worked best for me was taking pieces of ruined or abandoned pieces and adding my own flair. My inspiration came from anywhere, from my childhood out west, to the movies I watched. Mooncup, while unfinished, is my favorite piece, and it stands as a great way to look into my workflow. When I found the original cup it was ruined by over-glazing, I found though that I could make little “moon” craters on the cup. Eventually the piece will be put back together with metallic grout, but for now I shall have to wait.
Contact the artist directly with purchasing inquiries: mcmanusbw@lincolnacademy.org
Wow! Love the redemptive ambition articulated in your work … an intention to save something otherwise lost. I hope you will continue to explore this region in yourself and in art. I can see Mr. Mess has impacted your thinking. Graduation coming – congratulations. Will you be pursuing further art study? Good luck in whatever you attempt.
Ben’s work is an amazing collection of both free spirited interpretation but also with calculated hard work. His work is amazing, well flushed out, and is intresting at every step of the process. I hope he continues his talent beyond his high school years! Congratulations, Ben and I wish you well for your future!
I love the teapots. I love the color clash. I love the messaging. Cool range of work – ceramics to digital. Don’t lose this raw edge. It’s money. I could definitely see you collaborating for music events/graphic design (if you haven’t already!) because of the energy here. Nice.