ARTIST'S STATEMENT

Opening a fresh box of clay is as pure as the scent of the first spring flower or witnessing a gentle snowfall on a bright winter's day. Every minute my hands are immersed in soft cool clay, I surrender to the natural rhythms of memory that shape, texture, and color a piece of pottery. Like nurturing a young seedling in the garden to grow, each pot emerges from an idea, to a design and into a shape ensuring balance, proportion, and style. As I cultivate techniques, my confidence expands, denying distractions from suspending pure and honest inspiration.

My functional pieces must be held in order to feel the connections between a finished long-lasting solid creation and the earth-drawn clay from where it all began. This age old craft has captured my attention for more than twenty years and, as I explore personal design in order to find my "voice", I am amazed how my journey with clay feels as though it has only just begun.

Sculpting a whimsical figure draws on humour as each character evolves. Finding inspirational sources from the environment, stories, pictures, and oftentimes strangers, has allowed me to capture reality with a twist. Precision with a sometimes devious intention yields fictional characters within recognizable human circumstances ~ perhaps an indulgent reflection of how we see others or even ourselves!

I find the solitude in the shop allows freedom to create but experiencing collaboration with like-minded passionate artists reveals a deeper longing to grow, provides more questions than answers, and empowers me to pursue inventive, authentic, and imaginative creations.

~ Joanne Graydon