claudia tarantino: porcelain memories

California’s Claudia Tarantino pays homage to her Italian upbringing in her Porcelain Still Life series, with stunningly realistic porcelain sculptures that capture “memories of growing up in an Italian family where fresh food was abundant and the sharing of it second nature.”

Grazie Tin, Porcelain Still Life, 6″h x 6″w x 5.5″d

Ahhh…the memories. Tarantino’s work brings me right back to my own childhood, where I was surrounded by the smell of good Italian cooking in my mother’s kitchen.

Orange Roses Tin, Porcelain Still Life, 4″h x 8.5″w x 8″d

I found her new series, Memories, even more stirring.  The self-taught ceramic artist allows us to hold on to precious memories with these carefully curated collections of objects recreated in porcelain.  Just beautiful.

At The Seashore 1926, Porcelain, 2010, 8.5″h 10″w x 10″d

Yosemite 1938, Porcelain, 2010, 7″h x 9″w x 10″d

About her new work:

I use the unique properties of porcelain to make trompe l’ oeil sculptures that are refined and detailed. Constructing arrangements that “fool the eye” of the viewer, I try to evoke a recognition of what is common in our experience. My work reflects my connection with nature, family and my family’s history. It is both nostalgic and current, mingling familiar imagery and objects that speak to human interaction and relationships.

I am also exploring memories, the stepping-stones to who we are, and the association of then and now. Boxes of “stuff” collected and saved, containers and tins of treasures too special to discard, photo albums and journals all link us to the past. We save them, forget them and rediscover them. What we choose to save and how we edit, condense and contain our memories, and those passed on to us, also link us to the future, where we too will become just memories.

Tarantino’s son, glass sculptor Oben Abright, was featured on DAM last month.

I’ll be out of town for a bit and might not be able to post tomorrow – if that happens, I’ll see you next week.