Stephanie Osser - Artaxis.org

My translucent porcelain lithophane was created from my non-fiction children's book illustration of turtles hatching and swimming away from a book called "All About Eggs" by Millicent Selsam. I always enjoy taking my illustrations and creating the magical dimension that occurs when translucent porcelain is backlit. It is part of the permanent collection at the Blair Museum of Lithophanes, Elmore, Ohio.

Stephanie Osser - "Turtle Landscape Lithophane"
2017, 13" x 10" x 1/8 ", Media: Porcelain, Firing Process: Electric, Mid-range, Oxidation, Surface: Engobe / Slip / Underglaze, Relief
Here is my "Turtle Landscape Lithophane". As a an illustrator of non-fiction children's books, textbooks, cookbooks, craft books, this image for me represents another way to use my copyrighted book illustrations. In this case, the image of swimming turtles was a page out of a children's book called "All About Eggs," a first book for young children, about where babies come, written by Millicent Selsam and illustrations copyrighted by me with my given name before marriage, ©Stephanie Fleischer Osser. The February 2022 issue of Ceramic Monthly Magazine printed my article about how to make your own lithophanes, the way I learned at my wonderful residency at the International Ceramic Studio, Kecskemét, Hungary.

A collage of my many music-inspired porcelain and clay illustrations showing my favorite ceramic techniques, used in my work. The images show off my skills for teaching children in my "Clay Tunes" classes after school. I play classical music and Jazz to inspired their creativity.

Stephanie Osser - "Clay Tunes: Conducting Ceramics Classes with Music Music Music"
2003 - 2022, Collage with largest image 36” x 24” x 3” and smallest image 6” x 6” x 1/2”, Media: Earthenware / Terracotta, Mixed Media, Porcelain, Stoneware, Firing Process: Electric, High-fire, Low-fire, Mid-range, Oxidation, Reduction, Soda fired, Surface: Engobe / Slip / Underglaze, Glazed, Image transfer / Decals / Screenprint, Pattern, Relief, Unglazed

This new 2022 image is a collage of some of my Illustrations in Clay and Porcelain. I am now conducting musical ceramic workshops for children, bringing me such joy. As a singer in a Boston area Swing Band, I specialize in lovely songs by my favorite Irving Berlin and the brothers George and Ira Gershwin, and also sing in the soprano section of the Masterworks Chorale. You’ll find me sketching at concerts by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Pops, and other famous orchestras and bands. These illustrations inspire my ceramics. The text explains my newest teaching of children in workshops devoted to sharing my favorite ceramic techniques. We’ll also be listening to Jazz and Classical international music with instrumental soloists accompanied by orchestras and bands. Imagine our classes with this music played quietly in the background for inspiration and focus. Children will learn the unique sounds of the musical instruments as their hands work with the clay, and perhaps decide to study a favorite instrument one day.

My former student, Jamaal Eversley, a painter, actor and community arts coordinator, invited me to collaborate with him for an exhibit with several of his artist friends called Real F.R.I.E.N.D.S., at the Beacon Gallery, Boston, this past September and October 2020. I met Jamaal at Babson College, when I ran the ceramic program for students from Babson, Wellesley and Olin Colleges. Several of these students were Jamaal’s collaborators in this exhibit at Beacon Gallery with their multi-medias. Eversley sat for his portrait in my studio, before Covid-19 broke out, as I created him in terra cotta clay. He was my art director throughout. He had plans to have his portrait holding canvases of collaged photo paintings of Martin Luther King, Jr. and another canvas photo painting of the Women’s March. Another collaborator friend, Melissa Shaak, another artist in the show, created a documentary of my process from clay to finished sculpture, with dynamic film footage of Martin Luther King and his follows within a moving meaningful documentary, that spoke to our times. Because of Covid-19, and the need to work from a distance, Eversley took the sculpture to his studio, and painted the clothing with acrylic, instead of the underglaze originally planned. https://vimeo.com/454082486 (the documentary of this piece and it's significance)

Stephanie Osser - "Hope"
2020, 18" x 18" x 18", Media: Earthenware / Terracotta, Mixed Media, Firing Process: Electric, Mid-range, Oxidation, Surface: Engobe / Slip / Underglaze, Relief, Unglazed
My former student, Jamaal Eversley, a painter, actor and community arts coordinator, invited me to collaborate with him for an exhibit with several of his artist friends called Real F.R.I.E.N.D.S., at the Beacon Gallery, Boston, this past September and October 2020. I met Jamaal at Babson College, when I ran the ceramic program for students from Babson, Wellesley and Olin Colleges. Several of these students were Jamaal’s collaborators in this exhibit at Beacon Gallery with their multi-medias. Eversley sat for his portrait in my studio, before Covid-19 broke out, as I created him in terra cotta clay. He was my art director throughout. He had plans to have his portrait holding canvases of collaged photo paintings of Martin Luther King, Jr. and another canvas photo painting of the Women’s March. Another collaborator friend, Melissa Shaak, another artist in the show, created a documentary of my process from clay to finished sculpture, with dynamic film footage of Martin Luther King and his follows within a moving meaningful documentary, that spoke to our times. Because of Covid-19, and the need to work from a distance, Eversley took the sculpture to his studio, and painted the clothing with acrylic, instead of the underglaze originally planned. https://vimeo.com/454082486 (the documentary of this piece and it's significance)

For the Clay Studio, Philadelphia, and their exhibit “100 Years 100 Women” 50 artists were invited to create 2 portrait plates each, to commemorate this 100th anniversary of the constitutional amendment giving women voting rights. Choosing 2 noteworthy performing artist friends, I created portrait plates of each: Viola da Gamba and Cello musician, Shirley Hunt; and Lyric-Soprano Opera Singer/ Puppeteer, Suzanne Pemsler, who created her puppets as well. They were delightful to work with, as I made each my art director to be sure I represented them to the best of my ability. Involving them throughout the process, from a safe distance by phone, with email and photos send back and forth, we were constantly in touch, and smiling.

Stephanie Osser - "Suzanne Pemsler-Puppet Divas"
2020, 12" x 12" x 2", Media: Porcelain, Stoneware, Firing Process: Electric, Mid-range, Oxidation, Surface: Engobe / Slip / Underglaze, Glazed, Relief
For the Clay Studio, Philadelphia, and their exhibit “100 Years 100 Women” 50 artists were invited to create 2 portrait plates each, to commemorate this 100th anniversary of the constitutional amendment giving women voting rights. Choosing 2 noteworthy performing artist friends, I created portrait plates of each: Viola da Gamba and Cello musician, Shirley Hunt; and Lyric-Soprano Opera Singer/ Puppeteer, Suzanne Pemsler, who created her puppets as well. They were delightful to work with, as I made each my art director to be sure I represented them to the best of my ability. Involving them throughout the process, from a safe distance by phone, with email and photos send back and forth, we were constantly in touch, and smiling.

After enjoying an inspiring exhibition at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts on Della Robbia's work in 2016, I tried to figure out how I might work in this Majolica technique—having just become a grandmother, as seen in this image. I painted a brown underglaze into the details. After bisque firing, majolica glaze colors were applied, and I scratched away at the details to reveal the brown line. I love the majolica process, as you can see what you are doing the whole time instead of covering the underglaze colors with clear glaze.

Stephanie Osser - "My Della Rob-Baby"
2016, 14"x 14" x4", Media: Earthenware / Terracotta, Firing Process: Electric, Low-fire, Surface: Engobe / Slip / Underglaze, Glazed, Relief
After an inspiring exhibition at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts on Della Robbia's work, in 2016, I tried to figure out how I might work in this Majolica technique. Having just become a grandmother, as you can see in this image. I painted a brown underglaze into the details. After bisque firing, majolica glaze colors were applied, and I scratched away at the details to reveal the brown line. I love the majolica process as you can see what you are doing the whole time.

The image on the tile, made first then cast in plaster, helps to tell my Family Odyssey story. Notice the back of the boys jacket has the image of the bas-relief. When I create clay sculptures I often start with a tile, a bas-relief, to figure out my idea, my sketch. Then use it to tell my story, with a detail to enjoy from the back. This piece was asked of me, to commemorate members of my Temple Beth Elohim Synagogue, who, like me, had relatives who immigrated to America. I decided to honor my Dad, as he arrived at Ellis Island as a boy of 3, alone with his Mom, my grandmother, leading the way off the Red Starline SS Finland, a ship coming from Antwerp, Belgium. Sadly I never met my Grandfather, who passed away in the old country, so I created him too, with my Dad symbolically riding on his shoulders, arriving with his wife and son, holding the violin. That violin was played by my Dad, most days before and after work to wake us up, and encouraged me, with my singing Mom, to take up music, as a singer.

Stephanie Osser - "My Family Odyssey: Voyage on the S.S. Finland to America"
2015, 25" x 25" x 25", Media: Stoneware, Firing Process: Electric, Mid-range, Oxidation, Surface: Engobe / Slip / Underglaze, Glazed, Relief
The image on the tile, made first then cast in plaster, helps to tell my Family Odyssey story. Notice the back of the boys jacket has the image of the bas-relief. When I create clay sculptures I often start with a tile, a bas-relief, to figure out my idea, my sketch. Then use it to tell my story, with a detail to enjoy from the back. This piece was asked of me, to commemorate members of my Temple Beth Elohim Synagogue, who, like me, had relatives who immigrated to America. I decided to honor my Dad, as he arrived at Ellis Island as a boy of 3, alone with his Mom, my grandmother, leading the way off the Red Starline SS Finland, a ship coming from Antwerp, Belgium. Sadly I never met my Grandfather, who passed away in the old country, so I created him too, with my Dad symbolically riding on his shoulders, arriving with his wife and son, holding the violin. That violin was played by my Dad, most days before and after work to wake us up, and encouraged me, with my singing Mom, to take up music, as a singer.

Akio Takamori and Paul Scott at Guldagergaard, 2011 & 2012 I was lucky to spend two residencies at Guldegergaard, Denmark. In 2011, Akio Takamori was there, by chance, and was so kind and helpful to our resident artists. In 2012, I had a Print on Porcelain workshop, again luckily with Paul Scott, and as an illustrator, I began to make silkscreens and in-glaze transferware. In both images, I was celebrating the outstanding contributions of these two great artists. Akio is standing in front of the Appfel Hus Gallery there, next to his Alphabet figures, with Akio's figure busts on the gallery outside. He is standing in front of images made by Danish artist Sten Lykke Madsen and American artist Kim Dickey. The picture on the left is of Paul Scott delivering his outdoor tile mural, which he made in 2012 during my second residency there. I was impressed with the cargo bikes the Danes travel on with their children or groceries in tow. I had a chance to help with the mural and learn many print-on porcelain tricks from Paul's workshop, and I sang in the local town of Skaelskor Chorale once a week. A wonderful experience all around!

Stephanie Osser - "Akio and Paul at Guldagergaard"
2012, 8" x 8" x 8"// 7" x 9" x 4" , Media: Porcelain, Firing Process: Electric, High-fire, Oxidation, Surface: Image transfer / Decals / Screenprint, Relief, Unglazed
Akio Takamori and Paul Scott at Guldagergaard, 2011 & 2012 I was lucky to spend two residencies at Guldegergaard, Denmark. In 2011, Akio Takamori was there, by chance, and was so kind and helpful to all of us resident artists. In 2012, I had a Print on Porcelain workshop, again luckily with Paul Scott, and as an illustrator began to make silkscreens and in-glaze transferware. In both images I was celebrating the outstanding contributions of these 2 great artists. Akio, standing in front of the Appfel His Gallery there, next to his Alphabet figures, with Akio busts on the gallery . He is standing in from of images made by Danish artist Sten Lykke Madsen and American artist Kim Dickey. The image on the left, of Paul Scott, delivering his outdoor tile mural, he made in 2012, during my second residency there. I was impressed with the cargo bikes that the Danes travel on with their children or groceries in tow. I had a chance to help with the mural and learn lots of print on porcelain tricks from Paul's workshop, and sang in the local town of Skaelskor chorale once a week. A wonderful experience all around!

All three pieces were created after sketches I always create in my program guides at Boston Symphony Concerts. All these porcelain screened images were created in Denmark at the wonderful International Ceramic Research Center, Guldagergaard during my 2 residencies in 2011, and during my second residency in 2012, when I made the nesting pitchers with in-glaze, twice glazed fired transfer decals. The nesting pitchers, are my own designs, first created in plaster, then cast from positive plaster forms for slip casting. Silkscreens of my sketches were screened directly on the 2 orchestra pieces. The violinist is Pinchus Zuckerman, conductor is me, with my creative license. At the piano with the singer image, the soprano is Renee Fleming. The 2 screened images are included in the "500 Prints on Clay" Lark publication ©2013. The nesting pitchers were included in an ICAN ceramic calendar.

Stephanie Osser - "All Together Now"
2012, 7" x 9" x 6", Media: Porcelain, Firing Process: Electric, High-fire, Oxidation, Surface: Engobe / Slip / Underglaze, Glazed, Image transfer / Decals / Screenprint, Unglazed
All three pieces were created after sketches I always create in my program guides at Boston Symphony Concerts. All were created in Denmark at the wonderful International Ceramic Research Center, Guldagergaard during my 2 residencies in 2011, and during my second residency in 2012, when I made the nesting pitchers with in-glaze, twice glaze fired transfer decals.. The nesting pitchers, are my own designs, first created in plaster, then cast from positive plaster forms for slip casting. Silkscreens of my sketches were screened directly on the 2 orchestra pieces. The violinist is Pinchus Zuckerman, conductor is me, with my creative license. On the piano with singer image, the soprano is Renee Fleming. The 2 screened images are included in the "500 Prints on Clay" Lark publication ©2013. The nesting pitchers were included in an ICAN ceramic calendar.

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Artist Statement

My artistic creations are like the instruments in an orchestra. Each instrument has a different sound; you must use different skills to create those sounds. So it has been with the different kinds of art I’ve made over the years: drawings, book, and editorial illustrations with multi-medias & ceramic depictions of my illustrations on porcelain lithophanes, clay tiles, sculptures of people important to me, bas-relief opera scenes, dinnerware, and more. But when the orchestra conductor says, “All together now!” and gives the downbeat for all the instruments to play as one, the listener can recognize the composer of the piece and the themes of the music. In a lifetime as an artist, my many kinds of artistic work come together as well, and the common and unified themes are clear: the loves of my life. Those are my family, children, music, and the beauty of nature.

Bio

Stephanie Osser works from her studio in Needham, MA, as a book and editorial illustrator and ceramic artist. Her career began in graduate school studying ceramics at the University of Montana with Rudy Autio, where she illustrated research papers for the Anthropology and Wildlife Departments. After returning to Boston, she became the staff illustrator for the New England Aquarium and went on to collaborate with editors, art directors, and designers on nonfiction children’s books, textbooks, cookbooks, gardening books, magazines, and editorial illustrations for The New York Times, the New York Daily News, and The Boston Globe.

Her specialty in food still-life and step-by-step instructional illustration led to a particularly fun chapter working with the artists and craftspeople at Jim Henson Associates, illustrating puppets and crafts for their book “The Muppets Big Book of Crafts.” She later brought her two-dimensional illustrations into three-dimensional porcelain and stoneware, developing specialties in architectural ceramics, in-glaze transferware, and lithophanes—back-lit translucent porcelain imagery.

Osser taught and managed the ceramics studio serving Babson, Olin, and Wellesley College students for six years. With the support of a Mellon Grant, she and her students created ceramic murals celebrating green energy and sustainability. Her ceramic work has been exhibited nationally and internationally and is included in permanent collections at the Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Museum, the American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA), the International Museum of Dinnerware Design, the Blair Museum of Lithophanes, the Red Star Line Museum in Antwerp, Belgium, and the Needham Historical Society. Her work has also appeared in four of Lark Books’ 500 Series publications.

Teaching continues to be an important and joyful part of her work. Since 2022, she has created “Clay Tunes,” workshops for children in grades K–4 that combine art-making with classical music and jazz. In 2023 and 2024, she received Massachusetts Cultural Council grants to teach her “Recycled Collage Making Characters” workshops in libraries, inspired by the collage techniques of illustrator Eric Carle. She has just started teaching afterschool Ceramic & Recycled Collage classes for elementary school age children through an organization called Togetherhood.us, that just opened a branch in the Boston area.

Osser is also a soprano with The Masterworks Chorale in Boston and performs with the Cooper Center Music Makers, singing music by composers including George and Ira Gershwin and Irving Berlin. Her newest illustrations bring together two of her greatest passions: Children and Music.

Artist Statement

Bio

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