artist don doezema Michigan Artists studio & Gallery of handmade pottery & art pottery.

"A Joining of Elements"
by Don Doezema

Exhibit: July 30th-Aug 31st
Hours: Wed.-Sun 10am-5pm
-or by appointment

Don Doezema’s bandsaw boxes
are sculptural forms that nestle in
the hand, providing tactile and visual pleasure. The joined boxes are frequently lined
with ultrasuede or leather, and have trays and dividers to serve various uses.
In all his work, Doezema matches and cuts pieces to achieve continuous grain patterns
and visual cohesiveness. Each piece is finished with thin coats of varnish
that emphasize the beauty of the wood and provide tactile warmth.
Many of Don's pieces join pottery elements created by his wife Mary.

Don Doezema
Doezemas’ Wood & Pottery

Artist’s Statement-

In my wood work, there are
a couple things that are really
important to me. First is the
user’s experience of the piece.
My pieces are typically small
intimate pieces so they are
experienced on a very personal
level, looked at closely, and
held in the hands. The tactile
experience of holding a
bandsaw box is a blend of clean spare forms nestling in the hand with accents of edges
that focus attention but are always friendly, finishing with a feeling of heightened
contentment. Visually, I try for simple forms that will read from a distance but with
smaller elements that become apparent on closer examination. My shapes are
reflective of the erosion patterns on rock, the ripples on the sand in Lake Michigan,
snow drifts, skin over a hip, and the flowing line of a twisting ribbon. Connections are
also important to me. The pieces are frequently purchased as gifts or to mark special
occasions. They embody the social connections between a giver and a receiver or the
connection between the individual creator and the person enjoying the piece. Or, the
historical connection between the piece and a special occasion – be that a fun day at
an art fair or the commemoration of a life event.

Don Doezema

bark box.jpg

Don Doezema produced bandsaw boxes and other items in the 1970s and 1980s.
At that time he sold through galleries and participated in several juried art shows and
juried competitions. He studied with Terry Allen Smith at the Penland School of Crafts
in 1976 and with Donald Lloyd McKinley at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in 1984.
This was followed by about twenty years of corporate life and family responsibilities
until 2002. Since that time he has focused on full time artwork in conjunction with his
wife, potter Mary Doezema.

Competitions:

West Michigan Regional Competition: Annual, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006

Muskegan Museum of Art: 75^th Regional, 2003

Grand Rapids Festival Regional Arts Competition: 2004

Shows:

Art Makers, Grand Rapids, MI (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)

Kalamazoo Institute of Art, Art in the Park, Kalamazoo, MI (2004, 2005*, 2006*,
2007*)

Fallasburg Fall Festival, Lowell, MI (2004,2005, 2006, 2007)

Michigan Guild of Artists and Artisans, Holiday Art Fair, Farmington Hills, MI
(Best in Show – Wood 2004) (2004, 2005, 2006)

Vessels, Holland Area Arts Council, curated exhibit, Holland, MI, 2005

Birmingham Fine Art Festival, Birmingham, MI, (2006, 2007*)

East Lansing Art Festival, East Lansing, MI, (2006, 2007*)