Artist Statement

For this project, we were prompted to create a vessel/form, functional or not, which is a successful combination of at least five pinch pots. This form should be considered from all viewpoints, and the surface should be considered as an integrated part of the whole. The materials I used for this project are clay, wire, glaze(V-324), clear glaze, a wooden spoon, needle tools, and more. The first thing I did was create around 8 pinch pots, and two more of which were combined together to create the innermost form. I used a large amount of clay for this inner part (1st creating picture below), and used the pinching technique to build up the walls. I then slipped and scored two of there pots together and used a wooden spoon once it was leather hard to munipulate the shape. I then continued to make multiple smaller, and vairous shapes of pinch pots and slipped and scored these together to make a more complex shape. After the base and outer parts were done I used extra clay to add smaller balls and ad dots on to create the look of a barnacles. I continued to use the needle tools and create indentations to add texture and extra form to the pots. I originally thought this work look more uniform but I actually liked the way this evolved to being more scatters and unique. 

For my composition I really tried to involve a lot of unifying shapes as well contraste this with different lines and textures. The shapes that helped this look unifying was the shape of the shells attached to this inner most block, supposedly representing a piece of wood or rock, a good place for sea creatures to attach themselves to. I tried to have the same shape but at different angles as well as different sizes. With the lines I used for this I wanted this to represent the wood and unnatural part of the ocean that the creatures have adapted to. This also helped with thte texture, something that the people who observe and analyze the piece can feel. I also used the neddle tools to show some holes that the creates might have or created, similar to their actual life in the ocean. I thought these textures complimented the nutral world and showed a paralle between them. 

The main idea of this piece was to create a piece that showed the ocean life of shells barnacles and more. I wanted a piece with lots of different textures and for a visual of some ocean life to come immediately to mind when seeing this. This project relates to my life because I love the ocean and the creatures inside of this. I wanted to bring the life bellow into something I could look at on land. I am most proudest that I was able to pull off such a busy piece andd involve so many different parts to the project. I struggles a lot with liking the overal functionality and shape of this, I thought it was bulky and not useful, but eventually I just learned that this could just be decorative.