RICHARD ROSEN
Living in the Philadelphia area as a child, one of Richard W. Rosen’s favorite
activities was visiting his grandparents in the city. These visits were a feast
for the senses full of excitement, sounds and colors from the many cars, clanging
trolleys and diverse people. Tall buildings, crowded train yards and long bridges
crossing rivers further inspired Rosen. Entwined with the man-made systems was
nature in the form of beautiful parks and gardens; his grandparents always had
colorful flowers in the small garden in front of their rowhouse. As Rosen matured,
his appreciation grew for the complex relationship between the man-made and nature.
Artistically, Rosen finds inspiration in the works of Calder, Hofmann, Kandinsky
and Miro. His artwork combines sculpture and painting and, in the case of wall
pieces, woodworking as well. Rosen’s varied life experiences are reflected in
this art. His travels, the people he’s met and world events help form the themes
in his work. As we are all affected by our environment, Rosen’s hand-built clay
and mixed media constructions are affected by his observations. His work evolves
intuitively and is inspired by shapes, textures and colors in nature and in man-made
forms. For instance, he finds organic and geometric abstract images in clouds,
rocks, trees and city skylines. Dreamlike imaginary elements and exotic images
also serve as inspiration for Rosen’s work. His desire to challenge shape is enhanced
by a passion for color. Rosen wants his art to be stimulating as well as fun for
the observer. Since the work is open to interpretation, viewers are encouraged
to use their imagination while enjoying and contemplating it.
Prior to beginning a new work, Rosen uses a conceptual approach to visualize
his ideas. The freedom to improvise and allow for the natural flow of ideas is
essential. He is inspired by listening to a variety of music as he works in the
studio. Hand-building clay allows him to create in a very natural, tactile way
that is both calming and therapeutic. Found objects and free-hand techniques are
used to create textures and shapes. After the piece has dried, it is bisque-fired
followed by the application of underglazes and glazes, finely ground colored glass,
which provide the means to “paint” the clay with color. Then, the piece is fired
again using contemporary raku firing methods which add an element of surprise
and spontaneity due to the unpredictable reactions of the clay and glazes. These
reactions often result in dramatic cracking and brilliant colorful metallic effects
which are incorporated into the finished piece. The raku firing process dates
back to 16th century Japan when it was used to produce simple, yet refined, bowls
for the Zen Buddhist tea ceremony; the raku symbol generally represents the concepts
of enjoyment, happiness, pleasure and quiet.
