US-born designer Joseph Pintz makes functional and sculptural ceramic work that explores the role domestic objects play in fulfilling our physical and emotional needs.
Inspired by his Midwestern roots and the working class, Pintz creates commonplace forms based on utilitarian vessels and other implements associated with the hand. The dense meaning of these objects is transferred into clay through the process. Pintz earned his Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Urban Studies at Northwestern University and his Master of Fine Arts from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He has been a resident artist at the Archie Bray Foundation, Northern Clay Center, and Roswell Artist-in-Residence program. He has received the NCECA Emerging Artist Award as well as the Individual Excellence Award from the Ohio Arts Council. He is currently an Associate Professor at the University of Missouri.
Pintz is known for creating functional pottery and sculptures using hand-built earthenware. The colours he uses are subtle, ranging from natural tones to muted pink, yellow, and blue hues. He is skilled in creating surfaces that appear to have been weathered over time. Pintz often uses a technique that involves removing clay from a large block and then carving small-scale sculptural tools. He applies slip and terra sigillata, refining the surface to create the desired effect. In addition to pottery, he also creates sculptures such as gardening tools, kitchen utensils, and weights and measures that can be displayed as either wall pieces or stand-alone installations.