CH // How would you describe the aesthetic and philosophy behind Cour Studio?
 
CG // It's really important to me as an artist that my pieces are used and interacted with, so everything is made with the intention of being functional and durable. Each piece is high fired in a gas kiln, rendering each piece unique in its own way, and why you will see variation of color amongst the pieces.

CH // Where do you find inspiration for your pieces?
 
CG // I look a lot to ancient Greek and Roman vessels for inspiration on shapes, and I love learning about what shape vessel was meant for what purpose and the rituals around their use.  Often when making, I try to let the coils lead in designing the overall texture of the piece, looking to the next layer of finger printed coils to inspire what will sit best against the previously created texture.

CH // Do you have a favorite piece you've created? If so, what makes it special?
 
CG // I have an extra large planter in my house that I spent maybe close to a month building, and over 50lbs of clay.  It has so many different layers of fingerprinting on it, and it has been home to a palm tree for the past few years since we moved to Los Angeles.  I love watching the light on the texture of the planter change throughout the day and often find myself going back to for inspiration when working on new ideas.

CH // How do you approach the balance between functionality and artistry in your work?

CG // My background is in Industrial Design, so functionality has been schooled into me.  You will find me always trying to add a hole to a sculpture to make it a vase or a lamp.  Since I do not glaze the exterior of my work I love seeing pieces with a pop of color from flora, filled with fruit, or warmed with light.

CH // Do you begin each piece with a clear vision, or is it a more intuitive process?
 
CG // I have a few pieces that I make in repetition which I have a clear vision for and know exactly how many coils and of what size are used to complete the piece.  I find that process meditative and feel accomplished when I'm making multiples of something.  When working on new pieces I like to go in with an idea of either a fingerprint pattern that I want to use or a general shape, but often the coils will have a mind of their own and I will end up somewhere else than I had planned at the beginning.  I love starting with one general concept of coiling pattern and seeing how it will play out on a taller piece, shorter, smaller, wider, etc. and just let the process lead the design.

CH // How do you know when a work is finished?
 
CG // Functionality has always been my primary driver when creating in clay, so when I started working in this medium 10 years ago, I started by making tableware- I wanted to create mugs and bowls that my family and I would want to use day to day.  I started to branch a bit into larger pieces and sculptural work as time went on, but it wasn't until Covid that I got my own kiln and set up studio space at home.  This really allowed me to have the space to spread out and create larger work and I fell in love with making bigger pieces.  Nowadays I use my wheel only a few times a year, usually around the holidays for gifts for family and friends, but otherwise all my time is spent coiling.

CH // Are there any particular challenges or rewards in working with clay as a medium?
 
CG // Clay is such a rewarding medium to work in, because at the end of the day, you have something new to hold and use.  I think it is such a grounding process and also has really taught me patience and the art of letting go.  There is no rushing clay- it needs time to set up as you're building, time to try, and two runs through the kiln before everything is said and done.  There are so many steps that often in one something may go amiss, and you have to accept that not all pieces are meant to make it to fruition, and other times you will spend the entire time thinking, 'there's no way this is going to survive' and it is so rewarding when you surprise yourself in that way.  There is nothing more magical than opening up a kiln after a final firing and seeing your pieces glazed and ready to go.

CH // How would you describe the aesthetic and philosophy behind Cour Studio?
 
CG // love having my own studio space at home where I can listen to music, sketch, and spread out.  I need time and space to get in the flow and love to work on many different things at once since often I find that one thing can inspire the direction of another.