Intersection

2023

Intersection is a series of objects and arrangements of ceramic vessels, juxtaposed with a wooden, three-dimensionally gridded framework. Many of the ceramic vessels are made from reclaimed clay mixtures from studios of past and present. The clay bodies I used are made from a mixture of clays discarded at some point by other artists and students. The ambiguity of the clay body itself embodies the memories of place, people, and the personal experiences that I impart into the unassuming forms. The interactions with the wooden framework suggest a structured compartmentalization for these forms that act as memories or as singular reflections of a moment in time during which they were made. The forms are simple, and the unglazed exterior surface is honest, but complex upon closer inspection.  

I first started thinking about arrangements of ceramic vessels as meditations and compositions that act as moments for consideration while working on my graduate thesis titled, A Shadow of Craft: Making and Materiality in a Digital Era. This work focused on how objects express themselves and reveal something to the user or viewer about the way that they were made. Handmade objects and artifacts often leave a trace of the maker, and this is often a quality we seek out in handmade objects and use these traces of the maker to assign value to the objects. When we work with certain forms, apply exceptional craftsmanship, or utilize digital fabrication methods, these typically handmade objects can become more ambiguous. What do those traces mean for the viewer? How do these traces affect the way we perceive the object? 

In my work I intend to create objects that are subtly discursive through their form and composition and help us to consider questions about the value of hand-made objects. By engaging materiality and utilizing both traditional handcrafting processes and digital design and fabrication methods, I hope that my work inspires a curiosity for the viewer about how it was made, possibly challenging preconceptions about pseudo-utilitarian objects themselves.