There is something visceral about working with my hands in clay. This human practice of shaping the earth with our hands has been around for thousands of years — perhaps because it reminds us of who we are, why we are here, or that we are part of Nature.
Part of my creative process involves researching natural materials, gathering them from places that hold personal meaning or history, and processing them in my studio. I experiment with indigenous clays, rocks, minerals and wood ash. Each bears the marks and stories of specific places and time, and that fascinates me.
In the series of works titled “geōdēs” [meaning earth-like in ancient Greek], I use traditional pinching and coiling methods to slowly hand build each earth-vessel and give it a distinctive form and set of unique markings. To create interesting surface variations, I use a combination of foraged natural materials. Each piece becomes a tactile and physical expression of time, memory and connection to the landscape.
