stoneware
earthenware
porcelain
stoneware earthenware porcelain
ClayBodies
The Anxious Mind
at One Grand Gallery
The clay body a ceramicist chooses is often central to their process. For this series, my clay body is a mixture made up of discarded clays of various types. These remnants of others’ work are tossed into a bucket, soaked in water, blitzed, and poured out onto plaster slabs to be reconstituted into workable clay—reclaimed clay. I’m currently participating in an artist residency at Heirloom Ceramic Studio, a vibrant shared space with many members and, fortunately, a steady stream of clay to reclaim.
Studio reclaim can be difficult—filled with unpredictable textures, and at times, non-clay materials that reveal themselves mid-throw on the wheel, which is my preferred method of making. Despite the challenges, there’s something deeply rewarding in forming new work from what was essentially thrown away.
The concept of clay bodies also extends metaphorically to bodies themselves—the ones we inhabit, reference, and reimagine. I’ve always gravitated to creating figures and body parts in clay, often imprinting or referencing my own body directly in the work. Each piece in this collection reflects that ongoing exploration.
The Baggage
“The Baggage” began as a large moon jar, wheel-thrown in one piece with the intention of altering it. The opening is sharp, tooth-like, and uninviting—as if warning, “Don’t reach in here.” These “teeth” were formed by pinching and violently tearing the collar of the clay. The indents along the body and the handle are from my fingers pressing into the clay, while the bottom half was cut using a sheet of metal, which I drove into the clay and yanked off. The surface features a white engobe and a black manganese dioxide wash applied with bold brush strokes.
The Remnant One
I’m always challenging norms and reorienting perspective, and “The Remnant One” embodies that approach. It began as a thrown sphere with a sharp midsection but collapsed during trimming. Rather than discard it, I reimagined the form. The decoration features dripping iron oxide wash, letting gravity do much of the work, and a white engobe, quickly torched to create contrasting textures.
The Anxious Mind
The Obsessive Mind
These works began as wheel-thrown vessels that I altered through pushing and stretching. Conceptually, I was thinking of the head as a container for the mind, and I chose to bring those inner landscapes to the surface—portraying anxiety and obsession.
Both are decorated in layers of porcelain slip and black manganese wash, with “The Anxious Mind” additionally featuring splashes of red terra sigillata.
The Rest
Unlike much of my work, “The Rest” was left largely unaltered in form. It features a painted surface—a rarity for me—developed from sketches of a live subject in mixed media. Glazing was done by pouring glossy white and teadust glazes, leaving parts of the back intentionally exposed to show the process. The red underglaze beneath shines through both layers of glaze.
The Self
The Island
These spontaneous works are made from semi-dry or dry clay—trimmings and remnants of pieces I abandoned. I work quickly and decisively, using only my hands to squeeze, pinch, and tear the clay. The dryness causes cracking, a surface most avoid but one I welcome. The immediacy and rawness of these sculptures mirror the energy of my drawings and sketches.
The Crumble
The Perseverance [in process photo]
