I am a clay GEEK. I LOVE clay...the touch, the smell of a newly opened bag, the making & embellishing of each piece & owning pots. If I could not be involved in the clay world I would be....LOST!
I come from a strong family tradition of working with ones hands...painters, carpenters, wood carvers, illustrators, and in this case, seamstresses. Similar to a garment fashioned from patterned cloth, I piece together my pots from embellished, velvety slabs of porcelain.
Even though my whimsical work looks decorative, I create each piece so that it is fully functional. I want the owner of my work to appreciate their handmade qualities, quirkiness and beauty as well as their utility. I like to concentrate on the tea/chocolate/dessert service. I am drawn to teapots and accompanying pots, because of each piece's complexity...the challenge they pose to the ceramic artist. From spouts to handles, to bellies that hold hot tea or chocolate, cream or sugar...sweet treats or spoons, service sets are the most satisfying creations. When addressing surface, I flaunt the nature of the clay by adding stamped and rolled texture before building. I also stress the clay building effort by filling negative spaces with textural elements and revealing seams. Pieces are colored with stains, under glazes and washes to emphasize those textures. Each piece is glazed for functionality.
I come from a strong family tradition of working with ones hands...painters, carpenters, wood carvers, illustrators, and in this case, seamstresses. Similar to a garment fashioned from patterned cloth, I piece together my pots from embellished, velvety slabs of porcelain.
Even though my whimsical work looks decorative, I create each piece so that it is fully functional. I want the owner of my work to appreciate their handmade qualities, quirkiness and beauty as well as their utility. I like to concentrate on the tea/chocolate/dessert service. I am drawn to teapots and accompanying pots, because of each piece's complexity...the challenge they pose to the ceramic artist. From spouts to handles, to bellies that hold hot tea or chocolate, cream or sugar...sweet treats or spoons, service sets are the most satisfying creations. When addressing surface, I flaunt the nature of the clay by adding stamped and rolled texture before building. I also stress the clay building effort by filling negative spaces with textural elements and revealing seams. Pieces are colored with stains, under glazes and washes to emphasize those textures. Each piece is glazed for functionality.
MY BIG FAT HOLLOW BOTTOMS~
click on the image for an explanation of the each part of the process.
Nearly all my pieces are created in this way...teabowls, bowls, cups, creamers, sugar bowls & teapots.