The Marks Project - A Marks Dictionary of American Studio Pottery, 1946 to Present

Victoria Christen

EDUCATION

1981BS Education, K-12 Certification, Composite Art Major, Valley City State College, Valley City, North Dakota

1985MFA Studio Arts, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota

RESIDENCIES

1997Artist in Residence, Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, Montana

2009Summer Residency, Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts, Newcastle, Maine

PRIMARY WORK EXPERIENCE

1987–1995Instructor, Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota

1998—Studio Artist

1999Guest Instructor, Oregon College of Art and Craft, Portland, Oregon

2003—Adjunct Instructor, University of Portland, Portland Oregon

2004Instructor, Lewis and Clark College, Portland, Oregon

2005Instructor, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska

2011-2012Visiting Assistant Professor, Lewis and Clark College, Portland, Oregon

 

Victoria Christen is known for altered wheel-thrown earthenware and porcelain functional pottery forms. Influenced by a family lineage of seamstresses, machinists, and folk artists, after throwing Christen forms are cut, folded and joined into a new final form.  

Best known for her work with iron-rich earthenware, Christen uses a variety of surface techniques. Light colored slips or underglazes are applied to pre-fired clay followed with bright colored underglazes.  A Sgraffito like technique is used to mark through glaze layers. A black hand-drawn line is used to accentuate color areas.

Public Collections

Basilica of St. Mary’s, Objects of Devotions Collection of Contemporary Religious Art, Minneapolis, Minnesota

First Bank Minneapolis, First Bank Place, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois

Macalester College Permanent Collection, St. Paul, Minnesota

Minnesota Historical Society Permanent Collection, St. Paul, Minnesota

rosenfieldcollection.com

University Art Museum, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Bibliography

Berman, Rick, “Victoria Christen.” Clay Times (November 2000).

Christen, Victoria. “Working Potters: Victoria Christen,” Ceramics Monthly (May 20, 2010), http://ceramicartsdaily.org/ceramic-art-and-artists/ceramic-artists/working-potters-victoria-christen/.

Hluch, Kevin A. The Art of Contemporary American Pottery. Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2001.

Kantar, John. “Clay in the Inner City High School.” NCECA Journal 16 (1995).

Kantor, John, “Northern Stars; Women Potters from Canada and Minnesota.” Ceramics Monthly (January 1996).

Mansfield, Janet. “Review: NCECA Clay National.” NCECA Journal 16 (1995).

Padgett, Deborah, “Up Front.” Ceramics Monthly (March 1995).

Staley, Chris and Chris Gustin. The Best of Pottery Volume 2. Rockport, MA: Rockport Publishers, 1998. 

Tourtillott, Suzanne J.E. 500 Teapots: Contemporary Expression of a Timeless Design. New York, NY: Lark Books, 2002.

 

Website: www.victoriachristen.com

 

 

Center for CraftSouthern Highland Craft Guild

 

Typical Marks
Bowl
Form: Bowl
Materials: Earthenware
Surface Technique: Glaze
Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP
Bowl
Materials: Earthenware
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Glaze
Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP
Plate
Materials: Earthenware
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Glaze
therosenfieldcollection.com
therosenfieldcollection.com
Mug
Materials: Earthenware
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Glaze
rosenfieldcollection.com
rosenfieldcollection.com
Teapot
Materials: Earthenware
Method: Thrown and Altered
Surface Technique: Glaze
Courtesy Red Lodge Clay Center
Photo: TMP
Courtesy Red Lodge Clay Center
Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP
Mug
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Glaze, Sgraffito, Woodfire
Steve Franklin Collection
Photo: TMP
Steve Franklin Collection
Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP

CV or Resume: Click Here to Download
Source: Artist

Citation: Kuratnick, Jeffrey. "The Marks Project." Last modified June 10, 2019. http://www.themarksproject.org:443/print/marks/christen

Tags

Archie Bray Foundation, St. Paul, Minnesota, Lincoln, Nebraska , Portland, Oregon , University of Minnesota, Macalester College, Oregon College of Art and Craft, Lewis and Clark College, University of Nebraska

 

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