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In Progress

Final Product

Artist Statement

For this project, I took inspiration from a Canadian ceramicist, Jai Sallay-Carrington, to create my own piece. After doing a research project on their work, I went back to the pieces that spoke to me and make sketches and lists of what stood out in their sculptures. I tried to identify key pieces that I liked and incorporate them into my own design. The final result is a decorative plate with a low relief. I used the clay body as well as an underglaze pencil and overglaze. 

I didn't know where to start with this project, because I was struggling with the meaning. I really like pieces that have meaning in the process or as a final result, and I wanted this piece to hold something for me especially as my last project in ceramics. I originally wanted to make a full-on sculptural piece, but soon realized I had very little time and to make it two-dimensional would be far more efficient. I rolled out a slab of clay that I ended up keeping in the shape I had made. Since I didn't have a precise vision like for my Stable Song Bowl, I had freedom in taking paths that showed up midway through the process. This led me to make a low relief, to decide the position of the limbs, and to incorporate song lyrics (again) into my work. When I began, I didn't plan for any of those aspects. After carving and adding to the base plate to create the anthropomorphic figure, I had the idea to add song lyrics, because there's nothing that creates meaning more than words inscribed in clay. For me that holds such intention and purpose in someone choosing words to carve into something soft then fire it so those letters stay there. I chose a few select lines from artists Ani Difranco, Big Thief, Alabama Shakes, and Shovel & Rope. Each of these lines hold some lesson I try to carry with me or an emotion I feel is deeply connected with where I am right now. 

After adding spirals (inspired by the Assyrian stylized beard and hair curls) to represent body hair (a theme in Sallay-Carrington's work, depicting femininity that is realistic and includes natural body features) with underglaze pencil, I added a glaze. 

After this project, I feel that the result wasn't something I expected but I was really satisfied with the process and I enjoyed following the ideas instead of pre-planning every detail. I am very fond of the way it turned out and I am excited to see it on a wall or a surface in my space.