One of the world's leading ceramists, Betty Woodman bridges the gap between art and craft, and continues to expand the boundaries of her discipline. Published in conjunction with a retrospective exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, this beautifully illustrated book shows how she became a pioneer in exploring the limits of her media and how she came to the dramatic use of shape and color for which she is renowned today. Woodman's art is characterized by contradictions. It refers to the ancient and yet it is striking in its freshness; it is delicate and robust, decorative and functional, sculptural and painterly, familiar and surprising. Woodman has expanded the potential for working in ceramics by creating everything from simple and traditional vessels to large-scale ceramic and paint wall murals and installation pieces. With essays by three leading art critics that consider her history, influences, and evolution as an artist, as well as the impact that she has had on the art world, this volume is the definitive work on Woodman's career.

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