Born and raised in New York City, Elise van Stolk creates intricate ceramic sculptural pieces. Her work displays a powerful duality between traditional processes and a contemporary aesthetic. There is also a powerful tension in ceramic work between calm and violent characteristics. The end result is harmonious but the work has undergone incredible physical changes: from the force of the earth being compressed into clay to extracting, refining, pounding, wedging, application of centrifugal force, constant motion and constant pressure. After this exertion the piece is glazed with materials extracted and milled from the earth. The process is cyclical - the piece returns to the fire that created the elements it is comprised of.
Van Stolk's work consistently demonstrates a love of pattern, texture, colour, structure and construction. A preoccupation no doubt inherited from a family that has worked in the New York City garment industry since the 1900s. The artist's mentor was Bennett Bean, a well-known American ceramic artist and sculptor. The initial influence of his teachings directed van Stolk towards Asian design, particularly found in Japanese ceramics. He also influenced her handling of surface treatment, in later years, from the austere in colour and form, to a more western exploration of vibrant colour and surface decoration. In this respect, her work explores the collaborative mix of two cultures'aesthetic.
The artist's current body of work has moved away from her earlier focus on wheel-based pieces embellished with found objects. Van Stolk is now known for her sculptural, hand-built forms produced in her studio. Most notably the beautiful'kimono'wall sculptures which employ a sophisticated colour palette, stylized silhouettes and a highly decorated surface. Elise van Stolk currently lives and works in Sai Kung and has been in several group shows in Hong Kong.
