Multiple Pinch Pot Project

Artist Statement

Our task for the Multiple Pinch Pot assignment was to create a sculpture using at least 5 pinch pots. The pots could take any shape, but that method had to be used. The subject of my creation is a black ball with 5 spikes on it, made to resemble a morning star weapon or mace. There is a sgraffito design all around the surface of the piece. I used the pinch technique to create two pinch pots, and by blending them together I created the main ball. The spikes were all added on, and I used a flattening tool for them. I then used the black velvet underglaze to give it a coat so that I could sgraffito. The sgraffito was made using a sharp carving tool.

Juxtaposition has been an important theme in creating this piece. I have used both 3D and 2D elements to try and show this juxtaposition. The movement and rhythm of the sgraffito design are intentionally much more connected than the hard individual spikes. I created balance by allowing the sgraffito to fade off where the spikes are more concentrated, and then appear again when they lessen. The contrast between the black underglaze and the white of the clay was a key piece from the beginning of the project that I knew I wanted to include. It felt like it would help tell the story I am trying to tell best. The original plan was to have a ball full of spikes and covered in creeping vines and flowers. As I made more and more spikes, they became much more difficult to work around, and for time's sake, I changed plans. The next idea was to have half spikes and half flowers but making flowers turn out to take longer than I had to complete it. Currently, I am working on my third and hopefully final plan. I have about ⅓ of the ball covered in spikes, and the rest I carved into.

In creating this piece I am trying to tell a story. I haven’t finished making it so I can’t say I know exactly what that story is at the moment, but I can speak to what I do have. The spikes and flora were originally designed to show a sort of hidden violence. This could be violence that isn’t spoken of or one that is usually hidden from us today. I didn’t end up fully going down this road, so the idea of what each part represented changed a bit. As of right now, there will be broken chains coming off of the base of the spikes. They will dangle down into the sgraffito section, but will not touch it or interact with it. The sgraffito serves to tell the story of life after one's chains are broken. When one is free, there is so much of one's story that hasn’t been able to be shared and that now can. The designs are representative of a person's journey in life, as is seen by the ship, the candle, the book, and a few more symbols that I haven’t added yet. It is about immigration and coming to a new place, and finding a home there. And all of this exists with the understanding that there was violence as seen in the spiked ball that is now over. I choose the ball to represent this because it reminds me of the ball and chain used to keep prisoners captive, and this piece overlaps with the prisoner idea quite a bit. I am excited to see how the rest of the piece unfolds, and I will add more to this when I have finished.