Eric Nelsen is a Vashon Island-based artist whose works are primarily presented through ceramics.

There are certain components in these works of art, like organic textures, color, composition, and collage, that stand out among his vast collection of ceramic. He creates the paint from materials that are both contemporary and old-fashioned, including recycled paint, shellac, and various acrylic textures. His “media intensive” surfaces are scraped, burned and sanded to display their unique artistic properties that can only be experienced in person to fully appreciate.

Nelsen’s art style is inspired by the historical trajectory of man-made art from ancient civilizations, along with traditional ceramic techniques used in Japan. Occasionally, like in one of his more recent pieces, The Merchant of Vessels (2015), he will include additional contemporary forms of expression, such as abstract line and variations in shape and volume.

You can currently find “Eric Nelsen’s Ancient Symbols” in Western Washington University’s Environmental Studies Building.

These symbols are all early examples of Nelsen’s professional work that derive from various religious and cultural icons, and represent the human journey through time, which reflects his own core beliefs in life. Furthermore, the real journey that one takes through the ES Building itself is reminiscent of those powerful beliefs.

[Author, Editor, & Publisher: Andrew Boedigheimer]
[Co-Author, Photographer, & Video Production Manager: Breann Henley]

[Music credits: Helen Jane Long - Expression]

[warning: The video link does take a few minutes to fully download]