There have been a lack of posts as of late because I’ve been very busy filling out graduate school applications, glazing, firing and photographing my pieces! Here is my most recent work, followed by my working artist statement. Reactions to the statement, the work, and the relation between the two are greatly appreciated! Did I succeed in my purpose? Let me know!
Calliope (Porcelain, Cone 6 Glaze, hand-quilted place mat)
June (Porcelain, Glaze, hand-quilted place mat)
Ernest (Porcelain, Cone 6 Glaze)
Gwendolyn (Porcelain, Cone 6 Glaze, hand-quilted place mat)
Rita (Porcelain, Cone 6 Glaze, hand-quilted place mat)
Betty (Porcelain, Cone 6 Glaze, hand-quilted place mat)
Aurelia (Porcelain, Cone 6 Glaze, hand-quilted place mat)
Louise (Porcelain, Cone 6 Glaze, hand-quilted place mat)
Artist Statement:
My favorite emotion is joy. Of course, every emotion can only be identified when juxtaposed with a contrasting emotion, and would be taken for granted if it was perpetual and everlasting. I welcome opportunities to engage in joyful thoughts and actions and I gain even more satisfaction from passing this joy onto others. I evoke and spread these feelings through the visual, tactile, and useful elements of the functional ceramics I create. There is nothing more satisfying then witnessing the corners of a viewer’s lips turn upward as they notice my teapot. I approach each of my pieces from a place of joy and loving acceptance. That joy becomes infused within the piece and radiates outward toward the viewer.
A smile has the same translation in any culture, and joy can be expressed and released into the universe through unlimited varieties of channels. I am a dancer, a yoga instructor and an artist: these are the channels I have chosen to express the endless supply of joy that radiates from the core of my being. Maintaining a healthy balance means releasing emotions that rise to the surface. The meditative, primal and spiritual practices of dance, yoga, and ceramics allow the release of joy and any other emotion that arises.
Being independently joyful is rewarding, but sharing that joy with others is an even richer experience. Just like mirrors reflect light to brighten a room, joy bounces from one individual to another, creating a never-ending cycle. Community, familiarity and human interaction and togetherness are the reasons why I create functional objects that bring people together. For thousands of years, people have congregated around pots of tea. My teapots are playful, whimsical, express movement inspired by my dance and yoga background, and most importantly: evoke joy. Some of my pieces also include hand-quilted place mats. Just as different people come together to release emotions and ideas and create new ones, different scraps of fabric come together to create beautiful quilts, bound together by unity, compatibility, and acceptance.
The inner fire that drives my joyful self-expression endlessly endeavors to open others hearts to this same joyful existence. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to share my art and myself with all beings. The spirit and the light within me honors and respects the spirit and the light within every being. Namaste.
