Rising Stars: Meet Fred Stodder of SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO

Today we’d like to introduce you to Fred Stodder

Hi FRED, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My first experiences with ceramics was: when I was a little boy, about 6 or 7, I would make pots out of mud from our back yard, (our soil was better for that than growing plants). I got really into ceramics in high school and have been doing it ever since. To many years to count. Working with clay felt very natural to me and came pretty easily.
When I graduated from Laguna Beach High School in 1976, I was given a scholarship from the Festival of Arts, the Sawdust Festival and the Art Affair. The Sawdust Festival also gave Prodigy ceramist, Thom Chambers and myself a free booth that we built and exhibited in the summer after high school. I think we were the youngest to ever exhibit there at the time. The Art Affair also gave me, along with a few other students a free booth to share that summer too. Thom and I Got a Studio together shortly after that summer. It had previously belonged to the great painter, Roger Kuntz who died a couple of years before that. Roger was one of the best and most notorious artists that had lived in Laguna Beach. His ex wife, Margarite (Mocky) Kuntz rented the studio to us for only $75- a month and never raised the rent for the 11 years that I was there. I was fortunate to share that studio with Thom Chambers who was one of the most talented Ceramists I have ever known. Thom taught a community Ed ceramics class at UCI when he was only 16 years old. I learned so much from him.
With the help of the scholarships I received from the Laguna Festivals, and by selling my artwork in the summer months at the Sawdust festival and the Festival of Arts, I was able to pay my way through college. I have a BFA from the University of California in Irvine.
After finishing college I started developing the work that led to my mature style, which has been exhibited in galleries, museums and art festivals throughout the country ever since.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It started out pretty smoothly, my early work was fairly easy to sell at the local art festivals in Laguna Beach and as a young person with very few responsibilities it didn’t take that much to get by. But as my work changed (from pottery to ceramic modernist sculpture) and I think the attraction to ceramic work in general also died down and as my responsibilities grew it got a little harder to make ends meet. I moved to San Francisco in the late 80’s and I think I was always broke the whole 6 years that I was there. So basically it has been an off and on struggle to make a living trying to sell my art.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The artwork that I am known for is ceramic forms made from white earthenware clay and low fire glazes, but unlike traditional or most ceramic art people are familar with. Although I have a strong background and education in Ceramics, I am probably more influenced by Art developed in other mediums, such as painting, sculpture, architecture, and jazz music. I feel a strong kinship with most of the styles and movements from the modernist era.
The use of hard edges, flat plains and strong bold colors are probably what characterize my art most, and separate it from other ceramic work. I apply these characteristics to vases, tea pots, architectural, figurative, and anthropomorphic themes.
Recently I have also been exhibiting acrylic Paintings related to my ceramics.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Yes, in a way. I certainly have referenced books and other resources over the years in the making of my art. But music, especially Jazz, (which I also try to play Jazz piano) and podcasts or before that public radio, and audio books accompany me while I create my artwork, keeping me stimulated and sometimes even inspired. Too many to name.

Pricing:

• pieces range from about $600 to $4,800-

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.fredstodder.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fred_stodder/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fredstodder/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@fredstodder3599

Image Credits
images by the artist.