July 19th, 2024
Gallery MAR artist Lucrecia Waggoner in front of her work “Agafy Winds” made of natural porcelain with moongold leaf
Lucrecia Waggoner is a renowned porcelain artist whose work is celebrated for its unique blend of natural elements, meticulous craftsmanship, and high-end finishes. Her work is a celebration of natural beauty, meticulous craftsmanship, and the seamless integration of art and environment. Her use of raw porcelain, gilded accents, and organic materials results in unique, site-specific installations that transform spaces and captivate viewers. Through her thoughtful commission process and collaboration with Gallery MAR, Waggoner continues to push the boundaries of porcelain art, creating pieces that are both visually stunning and deeply connected to nature.
Lucrecia Waggoner, “Where Rivers Run,” natural porcelain, moongold, and platinum leaf
Lucrecia Waggoner, “Ethereal Flow,” natural porcelain and 22k gold leaf
Waggoner’s pieces are composed of natural raw porcelain, which she leaves unglazed to showcase its inherent beauty. Waggoner’s distinctive style includes the use of metal leaf accents—22 karat gold leaf, platinum leaf, and Moongold. These materials add a luxurious sparkle to her work, elevating the raw porcelain into something jewel-like and exquisite.
Lucrecia Waggoner, “Emerald Oceans,” porcelain, silver leaf, and oil paint
In addition to these precious metals, Waggoner employs silver leaf in her colored pieces, over which she applies oil colors by hand. This technique gives each vessel a radiant, translucent quality that appears to glow from within, especially when illuminated by gallery lights. Lucrecia Waggoner expounds, “They’re painted with oil, so they have that sheen and that translucence, so it looks like a light coming from within each vessel. When you shine it with an art gallery light, it looks even more like a hidden treasure.” This interplay of light and material creates a dynamic visual experience, like a trove of jewels, dotting the wall.
Lucrecia Waggoner, “Wallpaper Installation,” natural porcelain, 22k gold leaf, and reclaimed wood branch
Waggoner’s installations are deeply inspired by nature. In fact, she views her porcelain installations as landscapes themselves: “I view most of my work as a landscape, so you see these installations as really abstract landscapes,” Waggoner says. This natural theme is especially evident in her “Kyoto” series, a series that features reclaimed tree branches that she finds, treats, debarks, sands, and stains herself. She was inspired by the cherry blossom trees on a trip to Kyoto, Japan years ago and decided to start integrating found branches into her porcelain installations, bringing a second life to these natural elements. This practice not only preserves the beauty of the branches but also creates a unique and organic component to her art. Each piece of wood is distinct, ensuring that no two installations are ever the same: “I don’t create the branches, they just fall down from the tree,” Waggoner explains, “Because of that, each piece is completely unique because nobody in the world could have it duplicated exactly the same way.”
Left to right: Lucrecia Waggoner, “Foyer Commission,” natural porcelain and platinum leaf | Lucrecia Waggoner, “Kyoto” series, natural porcelain, platinum leaf on reclaimed wood branch
Her approach to commissions is particularly noteworthy. Waggoner’s work is highly site-specific, making it ideal for bespoke installations in various architectural settings. She collaborates closely with clients to create custom pieces that harmonize with their interior design. Waggoner provides renderings, sketches, and samples to help clients visualize the final product, fostering a sense of trust and anticipation.
Her ability to adapt her art to different spaces—whether it be stairwells, curved walls, high arches, or narrow spaces above headboards—sets her work apart from traditional painters. Waggoner elaborates, “My clients are always amazed that the final result of a commission is superior to what they had in mind, because I can use walls and spaces in a way that a regular artist, rather, a regular painter, cannot. That way, the client’s architecture plays with the art over time.”
Waggoner’s latest work continues to explore these themes and techniques. Collectors can expect installations that not only reflect the beauty of natural porcelain and gilded accents but also incorporate organic elements like reclaimed wood. Her pieces are designed to bring the essence of nature indoors, creating abstract landscapes that interact not only with the nature outside the windows but with the surrounding architecture within. For this reason, the natural, rugged beauty of Utah, with its stunning mountain scenery, resonates with Waggoner’s artistic vision, making it an ideal location for her site-oriented installations.
Lucrecia Waggoner, “The Earth and the Moon,” gunmetal glazed porcelain and platinum leaf
We’re proud to exhibit the stunning, nature-infused work of Lucrecia Waggoner here at Gallery MAR in Park City, Utah. If you’re curious about Waggoner’s work or commission process, contact the gallery today to see how your unique space can be transformed by the one-of-a-kind porcelain installations of Lucrecia Waggoner.
Written by Veronica Vale
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