APPRENTICESHIP SUMMARY

This ceramic-based apprenticeship will focus on handbuilding and working with colored porcelain using a unique technique called Nerikomi. Apprentice artist Jade Ruscio seeks to expand her current knowledge of mixing colorants, glazes and building forms that will integrate with the patterns that are developed. Jade looks to expand her artistic sensibilities as a visual artist, and apply these to her ceramics. Mentor Karen Orsillo is uniquely positioned to support her goals to advance her ceramic skills, as a highly regarded educator with knowledge of this specific technique. Karen and Jade will spend 100 hours of one-on-one guidance, reflection and training in Karen’s Kittery Point studio.

MENTOR

Karen Orsillo (Kittery Point, ME)

Karen’s love for working with clay began in the late 1960’s. She received a BFA in ceramics from the University of Massachusetts in 1977. Karen explored so many different ways to work with clay and enjoyed it all. In the mid 1970’s she discovered colored clay and this eventually became her main focus, however she continued to pursue other forming and firing techniques when she had the opportunity. For the past 40 years she has been sharing her passion for clay through teaching classes and workshops as well as showing her work in galleries and at shows.

“I met Jade as a student in a general adult education ceramics class I was teaching in 2020. Later Jade was a student in a weekend workshop in colored porcelain that I taught in 2021. She continued to take ceramics classes and to work with colored porcelain on her own. Jade expressed to me her interest in working with me to learn more about colored porcelain and this program offered us a chance to work together in a structured way with financial assistance.” – Karen Orsillo

APPRENTICE

Jade Ruscio (Kittery, ME)

Jade Ruscio is a Multi- Disciplinary Artist living and creating in Kittery, Maine. She received her BFA in Graphic Design through Montserrat College of Art. After graduating, she found a love for working with analog design in a digital world. By picking apart patterns, colors, forms, and images to create these bold works, she found a way to make both modalities simultaneously exist. Recently she has found a love for Nerikomi which relates to her past artistic endeavors.

“Karen is a well known ceramics educator who is highly regarded within the Seacoast ceramic community and beyond. Her variety of different techniques, including handbuilding, colored clay, pattern making, and a visual relationship to nature in her forms, feels very aligned with where I want to go as a Nerikomi artist and Designer. Her wealth of experience in this craft medium makes her a great teacher whom I would feel privileged to be an apprentice under..” – Jade Ruscio