ABOUT THE ARTIST

Eric Heerspink is a full time potter living and working out of his home studio in Jenison Michigan, just outside of Grand Rapids. He received his BFA in studio art from Calvin College (Grand Rapids, MI) in 2008 and his MFA in ceramics from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE: Edwardsville, Il) in 2015. His work can be found at COMPANION GALLERY in Humbolt TN, CLAY AKAR in Iowa City IA, and CHARLIE CUMMINGS GALLERY in Gainesville FL . 

ARTIST STATEMENT

In 1977 Star Was: A New Hopewas released. The film became so popular it established itself in pop culture as a Monoculture – it was a pop culture event that unified people throughout the globe. Through my work I explore the phenomenon of the monoculture these films created. Design elements such as shapes, colors, and patterns used in the set and ship designs are incorporated into my work. These elements pull on latent memories thus giving the work a sense of familiarity. 

​Influenced by futuristic machinery, the forms take on a mechanical sleekness. Employing traditional materials in combination with modern technology, I use layers of decoration to create a depth of imagery. Cut vinyl of various shapes, pulled directly from these films, mask off patterns on the surface. Terra sigillata and underglaze wash create a surface that references that of dirty metal. Computer screens in most 80’s era science fiction films often depicted intersecting vector lines. I create lines on the surface of the work, with glaze, in direct reference to these screens. These elements come together to give each piece a unique ultra modern feel.