Working with clay has always come naturally to me, and it is the medium I am
passionate about. I do not face the disconnect other types of artists experience between
their hands and their mediums. Where painters, for example, are separated from their
work by brushes and other tools, my hands are my greatest tool, allowing me to have
direct contact with the clay. Another reason I enjoy clay is its versatility. Texture is my
favorite element to work with, and I am fascinated by the process of replicating surface
qualities found in both natural and manmade objects. Each of these textures requires a
unique approach, and I welcome the challenge of experimenting with different tools and
found objects to obtain my desired result. This use of trompe l’oeil forces the viewer to
question whether or not the piece is entirely ceramic. I also enjoy overcoming the
physical limitations clay presents like gravity, hollowness, and cracking. As a ceramic
artist, I constantly find myself working against time since a piece left alone for too long
will dry out and become unworkable. I often have to find creative solutions to these
problems when planning and executing projects.
Because ceramics can be both sculptural and functional, my approach to each type
of project can vary greatly. I often begin planning with an abstract thought I find a way to
represent in a physical form. Other pieces are purely experiments with techniques I use as
stepping stones to spark new ideas. Either way, each project is, to some extent, an
extension of a piece I have already created since I build off of previous ideas and
methods instead of starting from scratch each time. Craftsmanship, precision, and
attention to detail are all important elements of my work because I believe each piece
should be able to stand on its own as visually appealing whether or not it contains an
underlying meaning. I want to allow the viewer to have the option of searching for this
deeper meaning but appreciate what is on the surface as a bare minimum. This holds
especially true for my experimental work that exists purely to test new techniques.
My current work is becoming increasingly conceptual, even though this may not be evident at first glance. I am working on a series linked together by the idea of balance and the many ways this word can be interpreted. I created both sculptural and
functional work to emphasize certain areas of life where balance is most important. For
example, I have included a set of five tall, slender vases in this series, each with a
different decorative texture. They represent avoiding extremes since if a vase becomes
unbalanced and leans too far in any direction, it will topple over.