Algae Green, Black Stoneware, Wood Ash Glaze; 2019
I explore the intersections of human intent and material phenomenon.
Through my work, I invite people to rediscover the materials and the forces, both naturally occurring and created by human intervention, that shape the world we live in. My pieces contrast organic, unpredictable materiality with objects of human craftsmanship, encouraging the viewer/user to rethink the connections that exist between the human world and the non-human world which we so simply call nature.
Philosophy of Craft: Evidence of the Earth and Hand
The process of making an object carries just as much significance to me as the final aesthetics of the piece and the theory behind it. Regardless of the individual project, I strive to retain evidence of natural phenomena so that the sublime power transformations wrought by both human intent and natural forces are always present.
Fingerprints and jagged cracks, seam lines, and tool marks are left unhidden to commemorate the methods used to craft each object, highlighting on a small scale the forces that shape the wider world around us. Process functions as a metonym linking my work with the broader scope of human activity. Combining slabs into rectilinear steins recalls the act of constructing homes and skyscrapers from mineral resources of adobe and iron. And stretching clay until it fissures is a symbol of how often we push natural resources to their breaking point in the name of fulfilling basic human needs.
In the end, utility, function, and scale are ways to explore the interaction between humans and their environments whether they are constructed or organic
Ivy Green 2 x 4, Earthenware, Mason Stain; 2021
The Landscape Runs Away from Us, Porcelain, Celadon, Cornwallstone Glaze; 2020
Artistic Intent: Complicated and Compelling
From utilitarian objects with non-intuitive functionality to sculptures that merge beauty with disarray, my art intentionally challenges the viewer. It asks them to question how the object was made, how they might go about using it, and what to make of the image before them. These moments of wonder and questioning are pivotal to my work. Stopping to ponder our surroundings leads us to a deeper understanding of human nature, the natural world, and the multifaceted relationship between the two.
In pausing to reflect and renegotiate how to navigate my work, I encourage viewers/users to gain more mindfulness in how they navigate the world in their daily lives.
I hope, through my practice, to awaken people to the various ways human beings interact with the natural world and to deepen their appreciation of the planet Earth.