‘What If’ – Artist Talk & Exhibition by Dawn Stetzel

What If 

an intimate solo exhibition of sculptural works by Dawn Stetzel

Nov-Dec 2024

 

Artist Talk Sat, Dec 21st in the evening

 

Fire Coversall Fire Coveralls

2023

zip hazmat suit, image transfers, urban fire zone

Fire Coveralls is a hazmat suit covered in flames, wearable, by me, by many. I use this wearable fire suit as a garment that I can climb into, as a way to try to enter, to attempt to more fully engage in a conversation I am unable to understand. Temperatures rise and extended fire seasons intensify. I made Fire Coveralls as fire seems to cover all, and I don’t know what to do about it. This work gives me the opportunity to grapple with how to exist in our climate crisis and live in our house on fire.


Biography

Dawn Stetzel is a visual artist from the United States living on the Long Beach Peninsula on the southern coast of Washington. Her body-activated sculptures become ambitious attempts at reimagining a sustainable existence. The heart of her deep emotional distress lays within the climate crisis and its impact on disparity and spatial and environmental justice. Using a tinge of the ridiculous, these works suggest struggles seeking opportunistic-existence within dysfunction.

She has a Master of Fine Arts from the College of Visual and Performing Arts at The University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth. She has exhibited widely through multiple solo exhibitions, public art commissions and group exhibitions across the United States including Grounds for Sculpture, Disjecta and the Portland Biennial. Her work is included in permanent public collections at The City of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture and the Shiwan Ceramic Museum in the Guangdong Province of China. Her work is printed in multiple publications, she has shown internationally and has lectured in the United States, China and Brazil. Innovative in her field and in recognition of the quality of her work and dedication to her art over a period of many years, she was recently awarded a 2024 Individual Support Grant from the Gottlieb Foundation in New York.

web:    dawnstetzel.com

IG: @dawnstetzelstudio

Artist Statement

I make sculptural objects, contraptions that interact with a specific environment. These environments are usually in the margins of places, feeling somehow desolate, vast, or lonely due to forms of neglect or absence. These are places I find oddly fascinating, sometimes disgusting and pull at visceral threads in my being. Often these landscapes exhibit hints of resourcefulness and potential paths to new ways of living in a place, thus they feel somewhat like home to me.

Within this environment I use my sculpture as a tool, or mode of locomotion in which to navigate the landscape. Manually operated, these pieces require me to physically propel, push, pull, row or ski and push the limits of my physical strength, safety and comfort levels. This process places my work between sculpture and performance.

My sculptures embrace the aesthetics of resourcefulness, repairing, adaptability and invention. I prefer a low-tech approach and glean materials from my surroundings. I select all materials for their inherent story of place relevant to the concepts within each sculpture. This process of collecting materials puts me in the edges of places, a process I need to connect me to my emotions, the specifics of place and a non-threatening bridge of connection to other people through their discards.

I am currently making work that struggles with seeking moments of survival within a dysfunctional system, on the move, searching opportunistic existence. I use a tinge of the ridiculous and make pieces that function but just barely. I am exploring spatial and environmental justice, systematic disparity, and the climate crisis. The heart of my deep emotional distress lays within our overlapping crises as the climate crisis connects us all and at the same time amplifies our disparity gap.

Implementing a mechanism of survival is not a safe feeling; it is one of risk, uncertainty and maybe just barely making it. The solo nature of this work and many of my pieces reflect my extreme independence as a trauma response. It contains a longing for trust in the universe, in humanity and political systems to equitably help and protect when needed

All Things Glaze Workshop

 

Sun, Dec 29th: All Things Glaze. 2pm-5pm. $50

Ilwaco Artworks Community Clay Studio – 109 1st Ave N Ilwaco, WA

BYOP (Bring your own pottery). In this class you will be working on bisqued pottery to learn about all things glaze related. You will learn about underglaze, mineral washes, kiln processes and glaze chemistry as well as many different application methods.

NEW Studio Course Bundle – 3 Classes for $90 when you register for:

Working in the Ceramics Studio & All Things Glaze

This bundle will prepare you to be self-directed in the clay studio or for a punch card or membership. Discount auto-applied when you add all three to cart.

Mugs Workshop

A beginner-friendly session, where you’ll learn handbuilding skills to craft a decorative or functional object. Clay Dates are open to solos, duos or friend groups and include a demo, clay, glaze, firing, and plenty of lasting memories for.

Pieces are glazed, fired and ready for pick up in 3-6 weeks. Shipping is available for our visiting attendees for $15 plus shipping costs. Bring friends and enjoy a group discount on additional tickets!

$15 off any 3 Clay Dates. Location: Ilwaco Artworks

Monoprint Coasters Workshop

A beginner-friendly session, where you’ll learn handbuilding skills to craft a decorative or functional object. Clay Dates are open to solos, duos or friend groups and include a demo, clay, glaze, firing, and plenty of lasting memories for.

Pieces are glazed, fired and ready for pick up in 3-6 weeks. Shipping is available for our visiting attendees for $15 plus shipping costs. Bring friends and enjoy a group discount on additional tickets!

$15 off any 3 Clay Dates. Location: Ilwaco Artworks

Travel Cups Workshop

A beginner-friendly session, where you’ll learn handbuilding skills to craft a decorative or functional object. Clay Dates are open to solos, duos or friend groups and include a demo, clay, glaze, firing, and plenty of lasting memories for.

Pieces are glazed, fired and ready for pick up in 3-6 weeks. Shipping is available for our visiting attendees for $15 plus shipping costs. Bring friends and enjoy a group discount on additional tickets!

$15 off any 3 Clay Dates. Location: Ilwaco Artworks

Found Object Impression Bowls Workshop

A beginner-friendly session, where you’ll learn handbuilding skills to craft a decorative or functional object. Clay Dates are open to solos, duos or friend groups and include a demo, clay, glaze, firing, and plenty of lasting memories for.

Pieces are glazed, fired and ready for pick up in 3-6 weeks. Shipping is available for our visiting attendees for $15 plus shipping costs. Bring friends and enjoy a group discount on additional tickets!

$15 off any 3 Clay Dates. Location: Ilwaco Artworks

Intermediate Wheel Throwing – 3-Week Series

Take your wheel-throwing skills to the next level in this dynamic 3-week class, designed for those with prior throwing experience. We’ll explore techniques including form alterations, darting, faceting, and various texturing methods. You’ll also learn how to create spouts and lids. With personalized guidance, Hans will help you develop projects that match your creative goals, expanding your form vocabulary and pushing you toward exciting new possibilities on the wheel.

3-Week Wheel Throwing Series | All Levels

12/2-12/16: 3-Week Wheel Throwing Series | All Levels | Mondays, 2pm-4pm

Ilwaco Artworks Community Clay Studio – 109 1st Ave N Ilwaco, WA

Whether you’re new to the wheel or have years of experience, this class is designed to elevate your pottery throwing skills. Each session begins with a brief demonstration, followed by hands-on instruction tailored to naturally advance your abilities toward your personal goals. For advanced students, the projects are open-ended, allowing for creative exploration, while beginners will receive one-on-one guidance to successfully craft chosen objects like cups, bowls, planters, and more. We’ll examine wedging, throwing, trimming, altering, and surface treatment in depth to ensure you develop a well-rounded skill set.

Horse Hair Raku Fire

In this hands-on class, you’ll explore alternative firing methods in a communal kiln firing setting such as Horsehair and Obvara.

REGISTER

Option one $40: Pick up 2lbs of raku clay at the studio any time after purchase and build your pieces at home. Drop your work off at the studio to be bisque-fired by 12/7. Then, join us for the raku fire, 12/21, where we will glaze and fire your pieces and they will be ready to take home that day. Basic tools kits are also for sale in the studio.

Option two $60: Join us on 12/21 and choose from pre-made, bisqued pieces to be glazed and fired and taken home that day!

Horse Hair Raku is a pottery technique that involves applying strands of horsehair to hot ceramic surfaces. As these materials burn, they leave intricate smoke patterns and carbon trails, which become permanent decorative marks on the piece once it cools.

Obvara—also known as “Baltic Raku”—is a little known Eastern European technique in which pottery, fresh from the kiln, is quickly submerged into a fermented mixture of water, sugar, and yeast. This process results in organic, black-and-white surface patterns and pigmentation that are completely unique, and is completed in under an hour.

American Raku is a contemporary take on the traditional Japanese method. In this process, works are removed from the kiln at peak heat, where rapid oxidation or combustible reduction produces dramatic surface effects on the clay and glaze. The results, uniquely colored by fire and smoke, are ready to handle in less than an hour. While pre-made ceramic vessels are provided by Ilwaco Artworks, students are encouraged to create their own pieces.

Layered Lines and Color – Bowls Workshop

n this workshop students will create detailed and colorful bowls by layering underglazes and freehand newsprint stencils. 

We will spend the first day of this workshop creating large bowls that will serve as canvases for the color work on day two. 

On the second day, once the bowls have firmed up, we will explore color layering and freehand newsprint stenciling. By applying underglaze under and over our stencils, we all create a harmonized composition of sharp lines, patterns, organic overlays, and fascinating colors.This technique allows for detailed designs and adds depth in your piece.

Surface Explorations Workshop

In this class you will learn a variety of surface design techniques and take your pottery to the next level. You will make stamps, explore sgraffito using colored slips, learn basic monoprinting and play with texture. Students will be given tiles to practice these methods. Includes glazing and firing.

STUDIO COURSE BUNDLE – 3 Classes for only $90 when you register for all 3!

  1. Working in the Ceramics Studio – Wedging to Glazing
  2. Surface Explorations
  3. All Things Glaze

Discount automatically applied when you add all three classes to your cart.

Working in the Ceramic Studio: Wedging to GlazingWorkshop

This class will prepare you to be self-directed in the ceramics studio, making it ideal for anyone considering a studio membership or punch card! We encourage participants to have taken at least one ceramics class in the past to establish a foundation for this course. You’ll build on your existing knowledge and learn the essentials of studio work, including prepping your clay and workspace, using basic tools, handbuilding techniques, different clay body types, and reclaiming clay. The course also covers moisture content, wrapping and storing, glazing, firing cycles, and finishing your work.

STUDIO COURSE BUNDLE – 3 Classes for only $90 when you register for all 3!

  1. Working in the Ceramics Studio – Wedging to Glazing
  2. Surface Explorations
  3. All Things Glaze

Discount automatically applied when you add all three classes to your cart.

Oxide Washed Vases Workshop

2-Day Clay Play – Oxide Wash Vases: Learn to create beautifully layered and textured vases using oxide washes. On day one we will handbuild our vases. On day two we’ll explore techniques to highlight surface textures and add depth through oxide washes, enhancing the natural character of the clay. You’ll learn how to mix and apply oxides, experiment with different washes, and discover techniques for blending, layering, and wiping away washes to achieve striking visual effects. This workshop is open to all skill levels.

Community Acupuncture

Community Acupuncture at the Sou’wester

Come rest, relax, and heal in the coastal forest with others in the pavilion space at the Sou’wester on Friday, November 22nd, 4pm-7pm and Saturday the 23rd, 10am-1pm. $25 – $55 sliding scale. 

Acupuncture supports recovery, sleep, immunity, digestion and reduces stress, pain, anxiety and lifts depression. Acupuncture regulates the nervous system, reduce inflammation, &speeds up healing. $25-$55 sliding scale. Pay what you can. 

REGISTER

Community Acupuncture

Community Acupuncture at the Sou’wester

Come rest, relax, and heal in the coastal forest with others in the pavilion space at the Sou’wester on Friday, November 22nd, 4pm-7pm and Saturday the 23rd, 10am-1pm. $25 – $55 sliding scale. 

Acupuncture supports recovery, sleep, immunity, digestion and reduces stress, pain, anxiety and lifts depression. Acupuncture regulates the nervous system, reduce inflammation, &speeds up healing. $25-$55 is a sliding scale pay what you can model making this care accessible to

REGISTER

Handbuilt Vessels & Underglaze Decoration Workshop

Sat/Sun, Jan 4th & 5th: Handbuilt Vessels & Underglaze Decoration | All Level

2pm-6pm w/visiting artist Glenn Hendrick at Ilwaco Artworks – 109 1st Ave N. Ilwaco, WA. Ages 10+ w/an adult or ages 14+. Beginner-friendly/all experience levels welcome.

In this 2-day, beginner-friendly workshop, students will learn the basics of handbuilding with clay to create two bowls or tumblers. They will then explore two underglaze surface decoration techniques: sgraffito and water etching.

  • Sgraffito involves carving through a layer of underglaze to reveal the clay beneath, creating intricate designs.
  • Water etching uses wax resist to form patterns, allowing students to achieve a textured underglaze design.

Tuition includes all tools, clay, glaze, and firing for two finished pieces.

Glenn Hendrick is a San Juan Island, Washington-based artist working primarily in printmaking, painting, drawing, and ceramics. Glenn moved from Chicago to San Juan Island in 2013, helping to found Alchemy Art Center in 2018 where she is now Co-Executive Director. Much of Glenn’s pottery uses sgraffito and water etching techniques.

FREE K-3rd Family Clay Play

Our first Family Clay Play series was such a hit that we’re launching a second one 11am-12pm!

FREE FAMILY CLAY PLAYS FOR KIDS K-3RD & THEIR ACCOMPANYING ADULS/SIBLINGS

At Ilwaco Artworks Community Clay Studio – 109 1st ave N Ilwaco, WA.

In collaboration with the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge. Learn about an aspect of local ecology through hands-on clay arts projects!

REGISTER

Thanks to a generous grant from ArtsWA, our Family Clay Plays are offered at no tuition cost! We have a sliding scale registration fee of $0-$25 per person, which includes all materials, glazing, and firing for 1-2 pieces.

Registration: Please purchase one ticket for each person in your party and note the ages of your party in the “Add a note to seller” section on the payment page. Spaces are limited, so early registration is encouraged.

Attendance Policy: We appreciate your understanding as we reserve spots for you and your family. If you cannot attend, please let us know at least 7 days in advance for a full refund. Unfortunately, cancellations made within 7 days will not be eligible for a refund. To cancel, please email souwestertv@gmail.com.

Waitlist: If the event is full, please email souwestertv@gmail.com to join our waitlist.

Shipping: For those visiting from afar, shipping is available for $15 plus shipping costs.

 

Handbuilt Bud Vases Workshop

Sat, Dec 28th, 2pm-6pm: Handbuild your own bud vase w/visiting artist, Laura Hoopenjans

at Ilwaco Artworks – 109 1st Ave N. Ilwaco, WA. Ages 10+ w/an adult or ages 14+. Beginner-friendly/all experience levels welcome.

Learn or expand on the basics of handbuilding using coils and slabs to make expressive and fun bud vases! This class is for all-levels and includes everything you need to make one or two finished small ceramic vases.

Laura Hoppenjans (she/they) is the artist behind Hop & Jans Studio, making fun ceramics to bring joy and color to your everyday life. They primarily focus on using handbuilding techniques to bring more expressive shapes and organic feels to their pottery. Visit hopandjans.com or follow @hopandjans on Instagram to learn more.

Selecting, Designing, & Applying Decals to Glaze-Fired Mugs Workshop

Sat, Jan 18th, 2pm-6pm: Sat, Jan 18th: Selecting, Designing, & Applying Decals to Glaze-Fired Mugs w/visiting artist, AJ Wahl

at Ilwaco Artworks – 109 1st Ave N. Ilwaco, WA.

Ages 10+ w/an adult or ages 14+. Beginner-friendly/all experience levels welcome.

In this class, students will learn how to apply overglaze decals to glaze-fired ceramics. The instructor will provide wood-fired mugs and a variety of decals to choose from. The workshop will also cover  applying decals to your work, purchasing overglaze decals online, designing simple custom decals, and the firing process needed to complete your decorated pieces. Participants may bring their own glaze-fired piece to decorate in addition to the provided mug (maximum size: 8 inches tall and 6 inches in diameter). Your finished work will be fired after the workshop and ready for pickup the following day, January 19th. For visiting attendees, shipping of finished pieces is available for $15 plus shipping costs.

Create Your Own Candlestick Holders!

Sat, Feb 8th, 2pm-6pm: Create Your Own Candlestick Holders w/visiting artist Nickolas Hurlbut

at Ilwaco Artworks – 109 1st Ave N. Ilwaco, WA.

Ages 10+ w/an adult or ages 14+. Beginner-friendly/all experience levels welcome.

Create your own candlestick holder set! This beginner-friendly class provides all the essentials, including tools, clay, glaze, and firing for at least 2 candlestick holders.You will learn how to create candlestick holders through two methods of hand building- sculpting and slab building. 

Nickolas Hurlbut is a seasoned ceramic artist and high school ceramics teacher currently based in Portland, OR. With a bachelors in Art Education and Studio Art and a Masters in Art Education. He is a queer ceramicist making Sassy inspired ceramics bringing together style and function to create unique and joyous housewares and fine art. A member of the Oregon Potters association, he sells work through his website, and participates in markets throughout the PNW.

Serving Dish Workshop

2/15/2025: Serving Dish Workshop w/visiting artist, Taylor Stefanski

at Ilwaco Artworks Community Clay Studio – 109 1st Ave N Ilwaco, WA. Ages 10+ w/an adult or ages 14+. All experience levels welcome. 2pm-6pm. $72/person

REGISTER

Impress your guests at your next dinner party with a serving dish made by you! In this workshop you will have the opportunity to create and decorate your own serving dish!

Working in the Ceramic Studio: Wedging to Glazing Workshop

Sun, Nov 3rd: Working in the Ceramic Studio: Wedging to Glazing. 2pm-3:30pm. $20

Ilwaco Artworks Community Clay Studio – 109 1st Ave N Ilwaco, WA. Ages 10-13 w/an adult or ages 14+. All levels welcome.

This class will prepare you to be self-directed in the ceramics studio, making it ideal for anyone considering a studio membership or punch card! We encourage participants to have taken at least one ceramics class in the past to establish a foundation for this course. You’ll build on your existing knowledge and learn the essentials of studio work, including prepping your clay and workspace, using basic tools, handbuilding techniques, different clay body types, and reclaiming clay. The course also covers moisture content, wrapping and storing, glazing, firing cycles, and finishing your work.

STUDIO COURSE BUNDLE – 3 Classes for only $90 when you register for all 3!

  1. Working in the Ceramics Studio – Wedging to Glazing
  2. Surface Explorations
  3. All Things Glaze

Discount automatically applied when you add all three classes to your cart.

3-Week/4 Session Wheel Throwing Series | All Levels

Nov 7th-21st: 3-Week, 4 Session Wheel Throwing Series | All Levels | 5:30pm-7:30pm w/Hans Miles at Ilwaco Artworks. 109 1st Ave N Ilwaco, WA. All levels welcome. Ages 10-13 w/an adult or ages 14+.

Dates: November 7th, 14th, & 21st

PLUS One 30-minute private lesson + 2.5 hours of wheel time (arranged on the first day of class).

This class will begin with the basics of throwing pottery on the wheel and guide students towards their choice of creating one of three final forms: cups, bowls, or planters. The first session will cover the fundamental mechanics and processes of wheel throwing. The second session will focus on the nuances of form and technique for your specific project, while the third and fourth sessions will be dedicated to refining your work.

4-Week Handbuilding Series – Global Traditions of Ceramics

Mondays, Nov 4th – Nov 25th: 4-Week Handbuilding Series – Global Traditions of Ceramics w/Hans Miles at Ilwaco Artworks. 109 1st Ave N Ilwaco, WA. All levels welcome. Ages 10-13 w/an adult or ages 14+. 2pm-4pm.

In this class, students will learn essential handbuilding techniques like pinching and coiling to create vessels inspired by a historical object (e.g., a Jomon pot, Minoan octopus vase, or Incan Moche vessel). A great way to incorporate personal narrative and explore ceramics’ rich history. 

The course enhances handbuilding skills and concepts through in-depth practice and discussions on techniques, surface decoration, and materials, alongside perfecting fundamentals like wedging and glazing.

Day One:

Students will cover basic handbuilding techniques and complete their first, smaller vessel, gaining hands-on experience. The instructor will provide resources for researching the historical object for the second project.

Day Two:

This session focuses on refining the first vessel and starting the second. Students will learn about form design principles, discuss their chosen object’s history, and explore ways to integrate personal stories into their work.

Days Three and Four:

These sessions are dedicated to developing the personalized vessel project. With guidance, students will apply their skills to create a unique vessel that reflects their creativity and evolving style.

All Things Glaze Workshop

Sun, Dec 1st: All Things Glaze. 2pm-5pm. $50

Ilwaco Artworks Community Clay Studio – 109 1st Ave N Ilwaco, WA

BYOP (Bring your own pottery). In this class you will be working on bisqued pottery to learn about all things glaze related. You will learn about underglaze, mineral washes, kiln processes and glaze chemistry as well as many different application methods.

NEW Studio Course Bundle – 3 Classes for $90 when you register for:

Working in the Ceramics Studio & All Things Glaze

This bundle will prepare you to be self-directed in the clay studio or for a punch card or membership. Discount auto-applied when you add all three to cart.

(ceramic) Surface Explorations Workshop

Sun, Nov 24th: Surface Explorations. 2pm-5pm. $50.

Ilwaco Artworks Community Clay Studio – 109 1st Ave N Ilwaco, WA

In this class you will learn a variety of surface design techniques and take your pottery to the next level. You will make stamps, explore sgraffito using colored slips, learn basic monoprinting and play with texture. Students will be given tiles to practice these methods. Includes glazing and firing.

STUDIO COURSE BUNDLE – 3 Classes for only $90 when you register for all 3!

  1. Working in the Ceramics Studio – Wedging to Glazing
  2. Surface Explorations
  3. All Things Glaze

Discount automatically applied when you add all three classes to your cart. These courses recur monthly, if any of them are not currently released they will be soon!