ARTIST'S
STATEMENT
Clay
is like a language for me. I thrive in its timelessness.
I use the ancient technique of coiling in combination
with slab work and love the expressiveness of the inherent
asymmetry as well as the endless possibilities it conveys.
There is something unassuming about clay even though,
once it has gone through the process of creation, firing
and glazing, it might well be around for thousands of
years. It remains inconspicuous. It is a humbling medium
to work in. It fuels a great enthusiasm for me to strive
to create pieces that are outstanding from an aesthetic
as well as a functional point of view. It inspires me
to find that ancient, enduring and intrinsic language
that clay owns. I see myself as a vehicle from which
myriads of little clay beings emerge. It is a subtle
role for me as I allow my work the pompousness of eternity.
New
forms & shapes emerge from what was originally a
wet lump of earth. I am enthralled by ceramics and the
fact that the four elements all play an active role
in the process from clay to ceramic. Earth mixed with
water to create, air to dry and fire to solidify and
eternalize. It is so simple and yet so beautifully complex.
The transformation that happens between the wet, creative
stage and the completed, fired piece is compelling.
All
my work is hand-built and either fully slab built or
a combination of slab and coils. Before reaching the
leather hard stage I draw freehand directly onto the
pieces allowing the design to take shape as it accents
and frames the form of the piece. Fascinated by the
language and beauty of patterns and intrigued by details,
I find great excitement in recreating the repetitive
and stunning lines of nature’s patterns in my
work.
After
the bisque firing, I brush glaze into the design and
leave the colour of the clay exposed. The inside of
the piece is glazed and the piece is fired to cone 6
in oxidation.
