Artists Combine Feminine Energy With Masculine Methods

‘Traces’ explores movement with porcelain ceramics, plaster paintings

Labor-intensive processes produce Zen artwork from two artists exhibited at Laura Rathe Fine Art in the Design District.

Lucrecia Waggoner of Dallas and Audra Weaser of Los Angeles use contrasting mediums but similarly execute movement in “Traces,” an exhibit showing pleasant tranquility through the synthesis of their pieces.

“The process for both is incredibly intense, with Lucrecia hand throwing the porcelain and Audra sanding (her paintings),” associate director at Laura Rathe Carly Malm said. “There is so much strength, so we wanted to feature that by combining two female artists who bring a feminine energy with the masculinity of their work.”

Waggoner, who grew up in Mexico City but lives just outside of University Park now, has mastered the rare art of working with organic porcelain — a brittle and fragile refined clay.

Waggoner has worked in ceramics since high school, embellishing what started as a hobby by taking courses in places like Hong Kong, Mexico, France, Germany, and Santa Fe, New Mexico.

She made plenty of bowls and plates before leaving utilitarian ceramics behind.

“When I worked with my mentor in Santa Fe, that was my breaking point: I decided I didn’t want to be in utilitarian arts; I want to be in fine arts,” Waggoner said.

With the support of Janice Meyers, gallery director at Laura Rathe, Waggoner shifted focus to providing beauty for the eye.

“Sometimes you have it in your head, and you just need one person to believe in you,” Waggoner said.

Waggoner began with one to two fine arts pieces on a wall; now, her largest installation has more than 300 vessels.

“All of the pieces are like snowflakes. They all look alike, but all of them are different,” Waggoner said.

Waggoner’s process is comprehensive. She uses glaze and metal leafing with moon gold leaf to create a metallic effect and to incorporate color. Various tools allow her to develop specific patterns, shapes, or lines. She has incorporated trees to create organic looks and pre-drilled into walls so her pieces could “grow out of them” like flowers.

“Traces” showcases her newest design: vessels descending from the ceiling.

Similarly, Weaser illustrates fluidity in her abstract paintings, translating the ocean to the canvas. Her parents exposed her to abstract art at an early age, and she tried to understand it.

Weaser has now been painting in an abstract style for 25 years, pushing the concept of water’s ever-flowing movement.

“This process is like a treasure hunt; it is like finding a diamond in the rough,” Weaser said.  

Her laborious method involves using plaster paint with a trowel. This allows a smoothness within each work through the cooler colors she mainly uses. Weaser only incorporates warm colors to illustrate light, and she doesn’t use paintbrushes until the end.

Waggoner enjoys seeing the ceramics and paintings in the same exhibit. “I know Audra’s work, and I know the way she works, so I thought that it was going to be spectacular together.”