ARTIST STATEMENT
“Re-purpose, Re-engineer, and Relocate”
As a production potter, clay offers me the challenge of transforming a lump of mud into something useful through the utilization of the spinning wheel and my own dexterity and coordination. It makes me think ten steps ahead so that I may be successful in that transformation. Clay is a continuous tactile adventure that is full of challenge and constant learning.
In 2017, I challenged myself to create one piece per day, every day. These pieces were small and functional, but forced me to learn new techniques and explore a variety vessels in order to stay engaged and disciplined. Pieces were finished in multiple firing methods with eventual additions of legs, wings, wheels, etc. Once that challenge was complete, it was time to consider the next project that would incorporate all that I had learned.
The premise of the current body of work is creatures taking found objects and “MacGyver-ing” them into escape vehicles. As much as possible of each found object is made from clay, from the vintage camera to the tricycle to the vacuum cleaner. Once each piece is fired, a cold finish of acrylic, enamel, and resin is used. Final details come in the form of plastic, glass, wood, and small finding. The end result is a balance between a realistic recreation of a recognizable object and the whimsy of the critters, always sporting goggles, leaving their current habitats for a variety of reasons.
I have found a way to combine my love of clay and paint to push my own boundaries in an exciting direction. In fabricating every day objects out of clay and cold finishing them with paint, I have joined two worlds and opened up endless possibilities. Each completed piece sparks a new idea with fresh challenges full of problem solving and exhilaration to start the next one. Working sculpturally forces me to not only think ten steps ahead, but outside of any box.
BIOGRAPHY
My initial love in art was paint. I love the ability of paint to be manipulated to create color and texture on a flat surface that draws your attention and makes you want to reach out and touch it. I left an incredible art department in high school and headed to a university setting where I developed an ugly case of burnout. I took a break, got married, changed careers and achieved my first Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources.
What I failed to notice was that in every job I held, in every company, I managed to do something creative. I always found myself in charge of the bulletin boards or the newsletters. I painted backdrops or designed company specific artwork. I even painted murals in a local daycare as a favor to the owner. I may have taken a break from art, but it never quite took a break from me.
After years of “no art,” I took a local pottery class for therapy. I was hooked. I found myself in the local community clay center several days a week and wanted more. I went back to school for my second Bachelor’s Degree in Studio Art. Finishing what I started right after high school was a personal goal that meant more to me than I ever imagined it could.
Clay is my way of thinking outside of the box and outside of my comfort zone while having some fun playing in the mud. I have found that clay offers me things that paint cannot. Clay offers me the challenge of transforming a lump of mud into something useful through the utilization of the spinning wheel and my own dexterity and coordination. It makes me think ten steps ahead so that I may be successful in that transformation. And, it gives me what I consider to be a bonus. Once I am done with the creation process, I can still revert back to my love of color and texture with slip and glazes. I not only have my useful platter, but a canvas to paint on as well. For me, this is the best of all worlds.
I mostly work with functional pieces, though I make a point of creating a hang-able foot ring on my larger pieces. It is a great thrill to me knowing that my works are being enjoyed, sometimes every morning by the coffee pot, rather than just gracing a wall and collecting dust.
I also challenge myself in ways I did not have the courage for before clay. I make a point to take regular breaks from my functional works to create pieces for stimulating exhibits. These challenges push me in new directions and force me to re-imagine my day-to-day shapes and forms. Teapots and cups take on new meaning as they go from everyday items to creative, inspired, and inventive pieces. I look to answer the questions of what else can clay do? Does it have to be glazed? Why can't it hang from the ceiling? These questions force me to consider all of the possibilities clay, color, fabricating, and assembly have to offer. I'm not just thinking outside of the box, I've cut it apart, removed all expectations, and celebrated the joy of discovery.
