I was raised in Dawson Creek in Northern British Columbia. I began making from an early age, joining a long line of obsessive craftsmen. I began taking ceramic classes at the age of fourteen, and from there went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics from The Alberta University of Arts in 2020.
Committed to ceramics as my first love, I create functional objects both on and off the wheel. I work with an understanding that decisions made during the process of making can determine how an object is perceived and used. I am intrigued by the way the objects we use can function as catalysts of moments of quiet calm in our everyday lives. Through functional objects like ceramics and quilts, I can bridge a relationship between maker and user.
ARTIST STATEMENT
My current practice revolves around soda fired ceramics. I create functional pots with contrasting surfaces that create tension between geometry and organic patterns. Areas of quiet and overwhelm in the decoration invite touch and offer the user a moment of pause and intimate investigation. Referencing botany, I look to understand my place in the world’s classifications. I attempt to catch the user’s attention, to render them in the present. The intent is to give one the chance to question the place of plants in beauty – but also the place of the environment in one’s values.
By using a soda kiln, I can allow for the kiln and its unexpected nature to share agency over the work. This also echoes the balance between control and chaos that we, as a society, attempt to force on our environment. My work illustrates this balance through moments of chance and instances of control in a duet with the kiln. This balance is central to the work and allows for the ornate surfaces to exist on the forms without overwhelming the experience, much like our balance with the Earth is crucial to sustaining life.
September 2021, September-October 2020
