Elizabeth Verschoyle's recent show at Q.P.A. gallery was a demonstration of faith in the value of working within the context of a formal, evolving process of exploring a medium. That the product of this exploratory process presents to the viewer as a layered, complex, unified collection of objects attests to this artist's success in reconciling an ancient tradition of work in a plastic medium with an innovative, experimental vision. The unity of this exhibition did not, of course, refer to the appearance, function or ornamental nature of the objects. Instead, the sense of an unified vision referred to the fact that generally, the artist used the volumetric form of pot, planter or figure, and the subtly dimensionalized form of the platters as simply a vehicle to carry the result of the process of mark-making. This mark-making or pattern of incident on the surface of the objects ranged from the strongly intuitive or randomly patterned, to the more formalized, regular, abstract compositions. In the former, the volumes of the pots were enhanced by the treatment of the surface, while the platters showed the abstraction of thought and process within the rounded rectangular, or more circular versions. That the pots and platters, functional, or should-be-functional objects, were not in the least truly utilitarian was simply a reinforcement of the artist's intention.
In the past the artist consistently produced work of unusual appearance and depth of meaning. Much of this work has displayed unique qualities of vision and commitment. Most of the work can be described as sculptural, formed wholly of clay, or of clay in combination with other materials. In 1983, small, hand-held objects with twisted pod-like, keeled and bulbous volumes, and
Elizabeth Verschoyle, Personality with Shadow, 1987
