Boots Culbertson
About the Artist
After formal training in art and biology, culminating in a bachelors degree from
the University of Michigan, Boots Culbertson has produced medical and botanical
illustrations for many scientific publications. But, fascinated with three-dimensional
work, she turned to clay while apprenticing with potter Frank Colson at his studio
in Sarasota, Florida.
She later studied with Byron Temple at Penland School of Crafts and Karen Kames
at the Memphis Academy of Art, and has participated in many workshops, including
those of Marquerite Wildehain, Paul Soldner, Ruth Duckworth, Jale Ylmabasar, Hal
Riegger, Jay Brophy and others.
Boots has taught wheelthrowing at the Colson School of Art and at her own studio
for over twenty-five years, while producing award-winning work of her own. She
has also taught at the New College and Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, and
has led many workshops at art leagues and schools, in both claywork and scientific
illustration.
With skills developed during her apprentiship Boots has built her own potterywheels
and kilns, and she mixes all her own glazes. Her unique work, ranging from smaller
functional and decorative work to larger fountains, sinks, and garden pieces,
is presented in many galleries and collections in the U.S.A. and abroad. She
creates elegant funeral urns on commision. Boots is also well know for her evolving
series of playfull "Whimsicats".
Artist's Statement
....In our technological society I think the responsibility of the artist/craftsman
is to capture in her work some of the energy of her meeting the natural world. She translates that which she encounters into meaningfull forms. which make
demands
on the sensibilities of other people, effecting their environment. For me it
is exciting to feel I am working this way: that I have responded to my environment,
catching some of its energy in the forms I create, and then to see that energy
returned, full cycle, into our environment; it is a way of life; and it is very
exciting!
