Friday, June 16, 2006
Press Release
CELEBRITY-WATCHERS TAKE NOTE:
THE ARTISTRY OF FRANK BAUER GOES MAINSTREAM
BRENTWOOD, Calif. – March 2006 – For those who keep close tabs on what’s hot in the world of artists and artisans, there is a new player to watch: Frank Bauer of BauerKraft, an artist who plies his trade in one-of-a-kind ceramic compositions, has attracted the attention of the California elite, including a recent sale to celebrity Anthony Hopkins.
Renowned for his colorful mosaic work with intricate patterning across a diverse range of artifacts, including garden furniture, pottery, hand-built vessels, accessories and planters for use indoors and out, and even full-scale pieces such as wall and floor installations, Bauer is thrilled to be received with such acclaim within the California market.
“California as a state is one to which I have always felt tangentially connected,” said Bauer. “The blending of cultures, art, and history across a wide array of mediums is one that speaks not only to my work, but also my own history.”
With his native roots in his family’s German heritage, Bauer’s art forms take their cues from European traditional folk artistry, craftsmanship and design, and are created to be active elements of the homes and environments of people who purchase his art.
Recently, such a home included that of the celebrated Anthony Hopkins.
“Having an association with Mr. Hopkins was a thrill for me,” said Bauer. “But truly working with any client is a thrill, because my pieces do not have to be static. I often create individual designs in conjunction with what a particular client is looking for, in terms of color or type of piece they need, whether that is a garden pot or a mosaic ‘rug’ that will be installed into the floor of a room. In that way, my work becomes a functional part of their environment.”
Once Bauer has developed a design for a project, the precision-based craftsmanship component of his work takes hold. His process for construction requires that he first shape, glaze and fire hundreds of intricately hand-designed individual clay pieces. Each piece is then painstakingly selected and laid out in an arrangement that will eventually be attached to a clay or mortar form.
He will sometimes play with these mosaic arrangements for days, weeks or even months, until he feels the piece is ready. The pieces are then finally attached with mortar to their base structure – a clay pot, cement chair, bench or birdbath form are some of his more typical designs – and then grout is applied to secure each tile, ensuring lasting beauty.
Bauer has received much acclaim for his work, and he reports that he is looking forward to continuing to work in the California market.
About the artist:
In 1997 Frank Bauer created his company BauerKraft in a studio in rural Wisconsin, where he worked for years honing his trade in ceramic artistry. His work can be seen and purchased at Patio Culture located at 1612 Abbot Kinney, Venice, California. For more information, consumers can contact Bauer directly at 920-528-7288, or via email at: harmony@excel.net.
THE ARTISTRY OF FRANK BAUER GOES MAINSTREAM
BRENTWOOD, Calif. – March 2006 – For those who keep close tabs on what’s hot in the world of artists and artisans, there is a new player to watch: Frank Bauer of BauerKraft, an artist who plies his trade in one-of-a-kind ceramic compositions, has attracted the attention of the California elite, including a recent sale to celebrity Anthony Hopkins.
Renowned for his colorful mosaic work with intricate patterning across a diverse range of artifacts, including garden furniture, pottery, hand-built vessels, accessories and planters for use indoors and out, and even full-scale pieces such as wall and floor installations, Bauer is thrilled to be received with such acclaim within the California market.
“California as a state is one to which I have always felt tangentially connected,” said Bauer. “The blending of cultures, art, and history across a wide array of mediums is one that speaks not only to my work, but also my own history.”
With his native roots in his family’s German heritage, Bauer’s art forms take their cues from European traditional folk artistry, craftsmanship and design, and are created to be active elements of the homes and environments of people who purchase his art.
Recently, such a home included that of the celebrated Anthony Hopkins.
“Having an association with Mr. Hopkins was a thrill for me,” said Bauer. “But truly working with any client is a thrill, because my pieces do not have to be static. I often create individual designs in conjunction with what a particular client is looking for, in terms of color or type of piece they need, whether that is a garden pot or a mosaic ‘rug’ that will be installed into the floor of a room. In that way, my work becomes a functional part of their environment.”
Once Bauer has developed a design for a project, the precision-based craftsmanship component of his work takes hold. His process for construction requires that he first shape, glaze and fire hundreds of intricately hand-designed individual clay pieces. Each piece is then painstakingly selected and laid out in an arrangement that will eventually be attached to a clay or mortar form.
He will sometimes play with these mosaic arrangements for days, weeks or even months, until he feels the piece is ready. The pieces are then finally attached with mortar to their base structure – a clay pot, cement chair, bench or birdbath form are some of his more typical designs – and then grout is applied to secure each tile, ensuring lasting beauty.
Bauer has received much acclaim for his work, and he reports that he is looking forward to continuing to work in the California market.
About the artist:
In 1997 Frank Bauer created his company BauerKraft in a studio in rural Wisconsin, where he worked for years honing his trade in ceramic artistry. His work can be seen and purchased at Patio Culture located at 1612 Abbot Kinney, Venice, California. For more information, consumers can contact Bauer directly at 920-528-7288, or via email at: harmony@excel.net.
