Nature and Mushroom Inspired Ceramics
Ever since I was a kid I knew that I was going to do something creative in life. I've practiced in a lot of different mediums, such as painting, film, and sculpture, but when I discovered ceramics the process just sort of took off and the momentum keeps on building.
I recently fell in love with ceramics (last October to be exact), handling the clay, smelling the earth, being in touch with its gritty or smooth textures, all of it. I love the extreme hands-on approach of ceramics and that each cup, bowl, teapot, or any other form is distinctly unique and has its own character. I also love the surprise elements of ceramics, so much is about letting go of control and trusting in the process of making the art. I've had my fair share of cracks, pieces breaking off, parts coming off in the kiln, glazes not coming out as I expected, but I've been learning from each one of these outcomes and I only hope to better my ceramics practice.
Much of my ceramic practice is inspired by nature, specifically colors, plants, and mushrooms found in the forest. It can be something as small as a cluster of lichen growing near the base of a tree that will get me excited and wanting to make a ceramic piece based off of this. Or I can be sifting through botanical drawings of plants and mushrooms and find great source material.
I want my ceramic jars, planters, vases, teapots, and other ceramic objects to tell stories about the mushrooms and plants that they exhibit. I ultimately hope that my pieces will evoke an emotion, or a certain poignancy when holding and looking at the ceramic piece up close or from far away. My goal as a creative artist is to celebrate the natural world around us and share its beauty and form.
