Bio:
Peter Cunicelli is a Philadelphia artist who has been working with clay since 2000. As a student at The Clay Studio, he discovered hand built vessels and soon began rolling out slabs of his own. During this time, he began developing forms by studying traditional thrown forms and cutting templates. He has experimented with a variety of glazes and techniques and has worked in Raku, wood fire, porcelain, paper clay, cassius bassalt and other stonewares. His current studio practice builds and expands upon the desire to create forms that push the boundaries of form that are balanced between the dramatic and the refined.

Statement:
My work explores form through movement, twisting, balancing, and dialogue. Each piece begins with a base form and evolves through alteration, creating energy that is later amplified by lines of color. The joins twist, disappear, and reappear, inviting the viewer to engage from every angle.

Balancing is central—both physically and personally. It reflects a lifetime of navigating contrasts: living in a straight world as a gay man, maintaining a professional career to support my artistic one, and walking the line between sculpture and fine craft. These tensions shape forms that tilt and shift, negotiating their own equilibrium.

Every angle offers a different experience, and one will inevitably feel awkward or odd. This imperfection is intentional, challenging my compulsion for perfection and embracing complexity as a source of vitality.