"Life is trying things to see if they work."
- Ray Bradbury
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- Ray Bradbury
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So many ideas…so little time! Among the many wonderful aspects of working in clay is the endless possibilities, the opportunity to see 'what if?' and the pleasure when a new design is born. Here are several of the projects that have consumed my enthusiasm in recent months -- some created in response to requests, others for specific gallery opportunities and a few just because. A common element, besides the clay, is a - surprising to me - fascination with the circle motif.
Zoom
The Zoom is the epitome of art for daily use. Hanging on a wall, it is a circle of color. Sitting on a table, it can hold a warm plate, small delectables or display a collection of small found objects. Each Zoom is formed on a potter’s wheel, and the surfaces are individually created with a combination of glazes and shimmering accents made from shards of recycled glass. The base has a clever design (if I do say so myself). It wraps inward toward the center so the Zoom can be hung on a single nail or hook. Because it is round, it is easy to mount. And, with no predetermined top or bottom to the decorative pattern, you can choose which way you like it best.
I began working on the form that became the Zoom months ago. I wanted to move the graceful center of everyday pottery bowls and plates from the table to the wall. Why? Well, why not? I had to think in a new way about the traditional elements of a vessel – the practical rim and foot, the center as the visual heart – and about the differences in the way color flows along a curved form but sits on the single plane of a flat surface during firing. After making many Zooms and adding shards of recycled glass to some, I finally realized that the center I was searching for was a metaphor – for clarity, for balance, for home. There can be many centers in our lives, and we are lucky to know when we find one.
Factoids: Zooms are made with stoneware clay, glazes that are safe for food and fired to 2300 degrees. They range in size from 6" to 8" in diameter. And, happily, the Zoom can do double duty as a serving piece.
The Zoom is the epitome of art for daily use. Hanging on a wall, it is a circle of color. Sitting on a table, it can hold a warm plate, small delectables or display a collection of small found objects. Each Zoom is formed on a potter’s wheel, and the surfaces are individually created with a combination of glazes and shimmering accents made from shards of recycled glass. The base has a clever design (if I do say so myself). It wraps inward toward the center so the Zoom can be hung on a single nail or hook. Because it is round, it is easy to mount. And, with no predetermined top or bottom to the decorative pattern, you can choose which way you like it best.
I began working on the form that became the Zoom months ago. I wanted to move the graceful center of everyday pottery bowls and plates from the table to the wall. Why? Well, why not? I had to think in a new way about the traditional elements of a vessel – the practical rim and foot, the center as the visual heart – and about the differences in the way color flows along a curved form but sits on the single plane of a flat surface during firing. After making many Zooms and adding shards of recycled glass to some, I finally realized that the center I was searching for was a metaphor – for clarity, for balance, for home. There can be many centers in our lives, and we are lucky to know when we find one.
Factoids: Zooms are made with stoneware clay, glazes that are safe for food and fired to 2300 degrees. They range in size from 6" to 8" in diameter. And, happily, the Zoom can do double duty as a serving piece.
Peek-A-Boo Mirrors - These slim wall mirrors were inspired by Gay Pride Month celebrations in San Francisco and the understanding that how we are seen tells just one part of who we really are. The mirrors can be hung vertically or horizontally to catch the light -- or a smile.
Solo Compositions - Circles of color mounted on black panels were another adventure in clay for the wall. It is a special challenge for me to step out of the 'this is useful' realm and think solely about design. And I surprised myself by recognizing the underlying theme (message?) for this body of work only after I assembled the initial collages. 'Of course,' I said to myself, 'this really is about how people are so much alike and yet each of us is special in some way.'
Rhythm - The 'Solo' series evolved into single panels with a variety of circle disks whirling together in a colorful composition. A round mirror tucked under one piece added a bit of surprise.
