Paul Soldner (1921–2011)
Virginia (Ginny) Soldner (1924–1995)
501 Stage Road, Aspen, CO 81611
970-925- 3742
ABOUT
The Soldner Center nestles so naturally into the surrounding acreage that visitors are often unsure whether they are at the correct location. A tall black pillar displaying one of Paul Soldner’s bronze sculptures and an extraordinary stack of radiators salvaged from a local historic hotel help mark the entrance of the gravel driveway. The 5 hand-built, historic buildings are clustered on 3 of the original 5 acres with the two remaining acres conserved as a wildlife corridor.
The buildings included in the 2-hour public tours are the A-frame residence with remarkable architectural features and an extensive ceramic collection from many national and international artists, the Round Building art gallery featuring Paul and wife Ginny’s artwork, Paul’s kiln yard and studio and the unique wine cellar where Paul enjoyed making and storing wine. The Orange Door building, formerly the private residence for Paul and Ginny, remains closed to the public at this time.
SPECIAL RESOURCES
“There is the necessity to embrace the element of surprise. There can be no fear of losing what was once planned and there must be an urge to grow along with the discovery of the unknown. In the spirit of raku: make no demands, expect nothing, follow no absolute plan, be secure in change, learn to accept another solution and, finally, prefer to gamble on your own intuition.”
— Paul Soldner
“I see a correlation between art and life. Every painting, though complete in itself can also be seen as metaphysical: our thoughts, emotions, actions, and relationships with others create constantly changing design of color, lights, sounds; a dazzling kaleidoscope of shifting energies….”
— Ginny Soldner, excerpt from her MFA show, Synergy, at Claremont Graduate University May 1986
Paul Soldner (1921–2011)
Paul Soldner is acknowledged for his many innovations and contributions to ceramic art and art history. In 1956 while studying with Peter Voulkos at Otis Art Institute, Soldner was the first to explore monumental sculptural ideas in clay at his groundbreaking MFA exhibition of 25 distinctive 5 to 8-foot “floor pots”. During the 1960s while teaching at Scripps College and Claremont Graduate University, he innovated a revolutionary new ceramic technique, American Raku, and founded Anderson Ranch Art Center in Snowmass, Colorado.
He held 7 US patents to manufacture Soldner Clay Mixers and Soldner Electric Potters Wheels. In the 1980s he developed another firing technique, Low Temperature Salt Fuming. He continued to create, exhibit and sell his artwork until his death in 2011. Soldner conducted hundreds of workshops around the world captivating his audiences with his mastery and joy of teaching. His artwork is in many major national and international museums.
Ginny Soldner (1924–1995)
With grace and charm Ginny Soldner was able to create her own style in the life-long partnership with Paul. Ginny was open and warm making everyone feel welcome when visiting.
As an artist, Ginny painted large abstract pieces of personal and philosophical content. She called her artwork Energy Color Field paintings, often over 6’ to 8’ tall. “We are emanations of energy. Our thoughts, emotions, actions, and relationships create constantly changing design of color, lights, sounds; a dazzling kaleidoscope of shifting energies. I overlap, interlock, and intersperse color, shape, and space.” She maintained her art studio in Claremont California. Ginny embraced contemporary art and enjoyed lively discussions about the latest leading-edge artwork, articles, and gallery exhibitions. She was thoughtful and articulate and wrote insightful poetry about personal joys or challenges.
As vice president of Soldner Pottery Equipment Inc., Ginny managed sales and advertising, co-creating the now infamous Soldner ads and posters.
LEARN MORE
Paul and Ginny Soldner were artists, a ceramicist and painter respectively. Paul was an innovator, noted for his experimentation with traditional 16th century Japanese Raku, creating a new method of firing, which became well known as American Raku. He also designed and manufactured Soldner Pottery Equipment and was a passionate and skilled teacher. In the 1960s he founded Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass, Colorado. Ginny was a respected painter who worked on large-scale canvases.
In 1956 they purchased the Soldner 5-acre property just outside of Aspen, Colorado. For 40 years they hand-built their home and studio, planted all the trees and shaped the landscape. The principle that architecture would improve with age directed their design, and to that end the use of rocks and wood native to the area was used frequently.
The Soldner A-frame was one of the first in the area to acknowledge environmental concerns by using solar power for heat and houses an extensive ceramic collection from national and international artists. The Orange Door building was the private residence for Paul and Ginny. The Round Building art gallery features both Paul and Ginny’s artwork. Paul’s kiln yard and studio and a unique wine cellar where Paul enjoyed making wine complete the 5 historic buildings.
They created a unique life for themselves that they passed on to their only child Stephanie and her two children. As a family they view themselves less as owners and more as stewards of this legacy. Their goal is to offer others an experience that is intimate, inspiring and transformative, sharing the many nuances of this landscape, architecture and creative environment.
The goal of the nonprofit Soldner Center for the Arts and Innovation is to preserve the site as a museum and cultural center that engages with our local community, the public and a diverse group of creators, thinkers, and innovators. The Soldner Center is open to the public during the summer months for tours of their unique home and studio, and offers special events aligned with our mission.
When people visit they express awe, joy, a sense of discovery. They often feel humbled and overwhelmed by the vision and energy it took to create such a profoundly personal environment and are able to experience Paul and Ginny’s vision. Through the experience of this unique place, visitors come away inspired and committed to their own visions, making a difference in the world.
