Siegfried Gorinskat was born in Eydtkuhnen (East Prussia) in 1938 and passed away in Groot Welsden at 2 November 2006. Since 1988 he and his wife Natascha Rieter (also a ceramist) lived in the hamlet Groot Welsden, near Margraten. Here, in a typical half-timbered farmhouse, they established their workshops. In artistic circles both artists are widely known for their ceramic works of art. In 1989 they opened their Ceramics Gallery "Groot Welsden" and with success.
Siegfried received training as a "Decoration-Gestalter" in Germany. A profession he exercised from 1958 to 1975. From 1975 onwards, he started experimenting with different kinds of ceramic techniques e.g. turning, building up, kiln construction for Raku, and Stoneware; firing with gas, electricity, wood etc. He was a self-taught man when it comes to ceramic modelling. From 1976 to 1983 he worked as an independent ceramist in the ancient pottery village of Raeren (Belgium). After that he settled down and worked free lance in the Netherlands.
His works of art were exhibited in a great many galleries amongst others in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Japan, New Zealand, England and Finland.
When he started to work as a free lancer, Siegfried mainly turned ceramic objects
for use and stoneware to be fired in a gas or electric kiln. Over the years,
he became more interested in monumental single forms and in the Raku firing
technique with sodium carbonate "Anflug"glaze and intarsia technique (inlaid
patterns).
His last objects mostly consist of two separate parts, for which he uses two different techniques optically united by rubber or leather straps. Since 2005 Siegfried combines his objects with glass, which he made himself. This makes his ceramic objects even more interesting.
Several times his work was awarded a prize e.g:
- 1986, an honourable mention, Gouda (NL)
- 1987, 2nd prize, Vallauris (F)
- 1988, chosen to take part in a Ceramics symposium, Finland
- 1989, Salzbrand, Koblenz (G) 2nd prize
- 1991, Ceramics manifestation Maaseik (B) 2nd prize
- 1992, Ceramics manifestation Maaseik (B) 1st prize
- 1992, Ceramics manifestation Milsbeek (NL) 1st prize
- 1993, European Biennale, Manises (E)
- 1994, Potters festival Gouda (NL) 2nd prize
- 1995, "Prix du ministre de la culture" (B) 1st prize
- 1996, an honourable mention, Gouda (NL)
- 1996, Salzbrand, Koblenz (G) 2nd prize
- 1999, Ceramics manifestation Raeren (B) 1st prize
- 2002, "Kunstpreis Wolbring" (G) 1st prize
