People had the opportunity to meet the Lawrence Art Center’s newest artists-in-residence, printmaker Taro Takizawa and ceramicist Twiggy Boden, Thursday afternoon.
Attendees could talk with the artists about their work, life, education and inspirations.
With another session of classes right around the corner, members of the Arts Center’s Adult Education team were eager to talk with patrons about upcoming classes and to offer demos in the clay and print studios.
The fall session begins on Sept. 6, and classes are already filling up. For more information on available courses and dates, head to the Lawrence Art Center’s education page.
Twiggy Boden
Twiggy Boden is a 25-year-old ceramicist from the 400-person town of Montrose, Missouri.
Boden received a bachelor’s in fine arts at Northwest Missouri State University before studying at Penn State.
They enjoy working in a variety of mediums, but ceramic sculpture is their favorite.
They understand what it’s like to feel out-of-place and uncomfortable in their own skin, and they use sculpture as a way of challenging social norms and expressing themselves.
Boden began designing their own clothes in grad school.
“It’s really difficult to find feminine clothes that fit a male body, so I started making my own.”
Boden has a master’s in fine arts and wants to use their talent and education to help other queer people express themselves through art.
Boden, who was raised in a very conservative environment, creates art that questions the social constructs of gender.
The Arts Center offers classes for all ages in everything from ballet to photography. The ceramics classes are among the most popular.
Boden will begin teaching Coil Building for Fancy Pots and Introduction to Ceramics courses at the Lawrence Arts Center starting Sept. 6.
Aprons are graciously provided by the Arts Center. Working with clay gets messy.
Taro Takizawa
Taro Takizawa is a 38-year-old from “Japan-Michigan-Chicago-Syracuse. It has become somewhat complicated for me to answer when I get this question.”
Takizawa found printmaking during his undergraduate studies at Central Michigan University when a professor suggested that he take a class.
He was originally going to study graphic design, but fell in love with printing. He now has more than 14 years of experience.
Takizawa, like Twiggy, will begin teaching classes during the upcoming session. He’ll host a 12-week-long etching class, a 12-week-long screen printing class, and a one-day-long workshop called “Cats on Cards” in October.
Takizawa used a large roller and stencils to create this piece.
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Chloe Anderson (she/her) contributed to The Lawrence Times from August 2022 through May 2023. She is also published in Climbing magazine, Kansas Reflector and Sharp End Publishing. As a recent graduate of the University of Kansas, Chloe plans to continue her career in photography, rock climbing and writing somewhere out West.
You can view her portfolio, articles and commissioned work here. Check out more of her work for the Times here.
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