Statement

 

I believe functional pottery should beautify everyday rituals and be a pleasure to use. I make pottery with the goal of welcomed utility and quiet moments, but also the hope of sharing meals with loved ones using my handmade vessels.

Familial connections, antiquity-inspired imagery, and creating a dialogue between the past and present are at the foundation of my work. I am inspired by a quilt meticulously crafted by my great grandmother and stories of the past: stories about my relatives and how their history shapes my own. 

Memory is preserved through the tactile experience and archival process. My grandmother’s handmade quilt represented family and the wear and tear of everyday life. Every stain and frayed fiber tells a story of that fabric and gives insight to questions that I cannot ask of the past. Clay as a material acts as  retention of memory in a similar manner, remembering and preserving every detail throughout the making process.

I throw simple forms from earthenware clay and apply white slip to create a  blank canvas for drawing and painting my vintage motifs. As my imagery progresses across a vessel, I think about how the surface of a pot can transcend a cloth canvas. Through the repetition of floral patterns and systematic mark making coupled with painterly underglaze application,  this process enables me to move fluidly between quilting, embroidery, and traditional ceramic techniques. I aim to evoke a sense of nostalgia through the catalyst of surface adornment.