Skip to main content

Renzo Faggioli, (b.1940) Master Ceramic Artist

Master craftsman, Faggioli has been a fixture of the Lehigh Pennsylvania area since his arrival from Italy. He has instructed ceramics just down the street from the Allentown Art Museum at the Baum School of Art, at the Moravian College as the Ceramist-in Residence in Bethlehem, and served as a guest instructor at the Penn Lehigh Campus.  There is an endless list of students and protégés that sing his praises. 

Faggioli started his own higher education at the Scuola State Ceramica della Robbia in Florence, Italy, and he then did his advanced studies at Alfred University and Carnegie-Mellon University. For those of you who know ceramics, there is nothing finer that studying at Alfred.

Faggioli’s work has been shown at many major exhibitions throughout the Eastern U.S. and Europe. His work has been featured in solo shows at Allentown Art Museum, Baum School of Art, Holland Art House Gallery in West Chester, and the former Hoopla Gallery in Bethlehem. In April, 2004, he received the Allentown Arts Ovation Award for the Visual Arts. Additionally, he represented the U.S. in the Eighth Biennale International de Ceramique d’Art Vallauris in France.


Sometimes his work is sculptural, sometimes figurative, sometimes vessels, sometimes functional, always remarkable, as in the grand platters above.  They are a cross between art and function. Hanging on the wall, these stoneware-fired, earth-tone luster-glazed platters, with hand textured edges accentuated with sun rings and a rugged landscape. It is estimated that these sculptural platters were created in the 1980's.

A 2006 issue of Ceramics Monthly quoted Faggioli:  In my work I try to transcend the purely utilitarian and demonstrate characteristics of sculptural and tactile elegance.” He goes on: "My influences range from Etruscan terracotta works from my native Tuscany, the works of Donatello, Della Robbia and other Renaissance masters, to modern masters such as Marino Marini.  

As Faggioli celebrated his milestone 80th birthday in 2020, his work shares a renewed interest with a broader audience for his skills, abilities, and talent that makes him one of the finest master craftsmen in America.  Now serving as a master craftsman for over 50 years.   
___________________________________________

©2021.  Waller-Yoblonsky Fine Art is a research collaborative, working to track artists that got lost and overlooked due to time, changing styles, race, gender and/or sexual orientation. Our frequent blogs highlight artists and art movements that need renewed attention with improved information for the researcher and art collectors.  The blog was created by Mr. Waller and all written materials were obtained by the Fair Use Section 107, of The Copyright Act.  #waller-yoblonskyblogspot #walleryoblonskyblogspot #renzofaggioli #ceramicart #renzofaggioli




Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MARCEL (Marcella Anderson) Torpedo Factory Artist

Marcella Anderson and/or Marcy Anderson (1946 - 2015) was better known as "MARCEL", a popular serigraph/silkscreen artist, at the Torpedo Factory Art Center in historic Old Town Alexandria, VA. She maintained a gallery and work space at the Torpedo Factory from 1976 to 2015. At the top of the stairs on the 3rd floor was this large light filled studio with a charming blonde woman surrounded by her silkscreens. In the early 80s, her work consisted mostly of water reptiles, fish, birds and environmental scenes. She kept with nature themes during most of her time at the studio. Her obituary stated: "Marcel was known for her bold, yet sensitive, use of color and design. Her images in all media reflected her love of nature. Her glowing color, both intense and delicate, was achieved through the use of transparent layers of color." Marcel was born and raised in Seattle, Washington and studied at the Cornish School of Allied Arts. Before arriving in the DC area, she had
11 comments
Read more

Japanese Wooden Dolls: Kokeshi-Ningyo "こけし－人形"

This article is dedicated to my Japanese (nihongo) Sensei, Atsuko Kuwana, who helped me learn to speak Japanese. Collectors come in all varieties, some plan their collections, others start by chance.  I saw my first kokeshi（こけし） wooden doll in 2005 while participating in a grassroutes exchange program between the U.S. and Japan.  I was staying with a family near Nagoya and the couple’s young daughter had one.  Years later when I was named a Mike Mansfield Fellow from the U.S. government to the Japanese government, and was living in Japan, I would see them frequently at flea markets and souvenir shops next to the natural hot spring resorts in the area known as Tohoku.  Before leaving for Japan, I studied all things Japanese at the George Shultz Foreign Service Institute (FSI), including a professor that covered domestic and family life and some short statements on kokeshi.  After arriving in Japan, the National Personnel Authority ( jinjiin ) was responsible for my continued studies, b
Post a Comment
Read more

Leonard Thorpe, Modern British Artist

Thorpe, a totally modern artist, used London and the bucolic country side as his muse.  Clearly the London cityscape was his inspiration.  He painted all the city sights:  St. Paul's Cathedral, the Parliament, the Palace of Westminster, the Beefeaters at the Palace, the Victorian Memorial, Big Ben, the Monument and of course Trafalgar Square.  These London landmarks are painted with affirming gestures in moody blues and graphic grays.  His palette knife application technique, along with his brush work was applied in a quick layer over the oil underpainting.  There is an appearance of buildup-so caked on, that the results look molten.  This methodology created textured impressions right on the canvas.  He combined architectural details with spontaneous happenings.    His color palette frequently includes red double-decker buses, Beefeater guards or flags that add balance to his moody paintings.  In " St. Paul's Cathedral " below, Thorpe presents a rainy evening with
Post a Comment
Read more