Nan Jacobsohn | Ceramic Sculptor
Much of Nan's work, on the surface, may seem to be about horses. Make no mistake, she is passionate about horses, loves spending time with them and enjoys portraying images of horses in her artwork.
Most artists create autobiographical work to some extent and in that vein, Nan will admit her horses are actually self-portraits and portraits of women in general.
It is her theory that the reason so many young women go through a "horse phase" is because they desire the power and beauty embodied in that horse. She knows that horses' spirits are never truly conquered by their caretakers.
Horses have a secret life that they do not share with us. In like manner, as women, there is a secret self that the circumstances of our life can never take from us. Nan tries to give a glimpse into some of these secrets in her work.
ABOUT SCULPTOR NANCY JACOBSOHN
EDUCATION1970 - BA of Art Education from Pasadena College in Pasadena, California
2000 - MLAS of Fine Art from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee**
1970-1980 High School Art Teacher in California, Massachusetts, and Georgia Public Schools
1987-1990 Teacher at Cheekwood Estate and Gardens in Nashville, Tennessee
1992 - Teaching Artist for the Tennessee Arts Commission
1990-1994 Director of Education at Cheekwood Estate and Gardens in Nashville Tennessee
1994-1995 Executive Director, Historic Traveler’s Rest Plantation and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee
1996 - Studio Artist and Sole Proprietor of The Clay Horse Studio, Sparta, Tennessee
Nan's sculpture often includes the horse as a central figure. Her pieces are most often created with slabs of clay, hand building with coils, and sculpting solid before hollowing. She builds a sculpture in solid form, and when it has became leather hard, she cuts it apart, hollows out the interior and then re-assembles it.
Nancy Jacobsohn uses several techniques in firing and finishing her work. Saggar firing, cold finishes and mixed media are a part of finishing and surfaces. Some of her work is hand painted with underglazes, and she often fires a piece several times until she gets her desired effects. Nan most often uses the horse to help tell stories, either as a symbol for women, or in some cases a life's journeys. She believes this particular animal relates to women and she says that young girls are ultimately drawn to the beauty and power that radiates from the horse.
In addition, Nan uses a variety of symbols and iconography to help tell these autobiographical narratives in her work. She credits her initial interests in visual arts to her grandmother, a home arts specialist and rug maker. Her daughter, Beth Cavener continues the family legacy as a ceramic sculptor, also focusing on animals.
Public CollectionsSouthern Highland Craft Guild in Asheville, North Carolina