Ceramics

As a ceramic artist I've always been interested in making the small details of my work the most notable. I try to focus on the details that make you look twice and think, “How did she make this? How is this standing up?” Details that make you wonder if it was handmade. I have created this piece to be open to interpretation so the viewer’s initial emotion can continue to transform.

“Overflow”
Glazed stoneware on wood stand 

I am attracted to the unknown aspects of creating artwork, asking myself questions like, “will this work?” “Will it be beautiful?” “Does this show my process?” I want the viewer to see the action I put into my ceramics. With the experimental ways of decoration and creating ceramics, the end result is unknown, leaving the design up to the shape of the piece, the viscosity of the slips and glazes, and how the splatters and drips react with the surface. My goal is to create functional ceramic ware- cups, mugs, bowls and plates, that are enhanced with action and tell the story of how it was created.  

Ceramics is a medium that lets me express my aesthetic through neutral tones and showcases the natural beauty of different clays our Earth has blessed us with. My goal is to enhance the raw color and texture of the Earth while forming it into something functional or decorative. Marbling multiple clay bodies is an unpredictable yet captivating dance between different clays that can never be copied or recreated exactly. Each result is one of a kind and unique. As an artist, I believe I am simply a harmonizer. I provide vessels for clays to express their qualities alone or with others.

“Gooblins"
Glazed stoneware

There is a connection that is created between my pieces and myself. I can express my emotions and soul through hand building on top of thrown vessels to create my creatures. I strive to create creatures that bring warmth to my soul. As someone who has struggled with anxiety and depression, I could not find an outlet until I discovered ceramics. The use of materials in my work is never planned, I love the excitement of the unknown. We all need a bit of mystery to keep our lives invigorating, and this mystery of what I might possibly create next keeps my passion on fire. The creatures I create have aspects of Ancient Japanese culture embedded into them. I love Japanese folklore and it has always been a source of inspiration for my artwork. I am continuously battling my mental health, and if there is one thing my viewers take away from my artwork – it is to do what makes you smile.

Our world has been polluted with racism, hate and the murder of innocent people since history first began to be documented. This piece represents oppression, slavery, hate, suppression and mass murder of people since Ancient Greece. It is intended for the viewer to take in what they observe and reflect upon their own transgressions. 

The medium in this piece includes ceramic, oil painting, graphic design, metal and jewelry making, wood working and sewing. When designing my project, I wanted to include many of the different mediums that I have learned through my education at Towson University to show how important an all-around art education can be. 

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The hegemony of the Western World has existed since Ancient Greece’s mother cities ruled the Peloponnese. Slavery, racism, othering, and annihilating whole populations has been, by design, part of the advancement of white European culture. 

With my background in anthropology and experimental archaeology, I use art to display the atrocities Western Europeans have perpetrated upon those they believe to be inferior. Ceramics, sculpture, painting, metal working, sewing, and graphic design are just a few mediums I use to enhance my fabrication so the viewer can feel the pain which has been caused worldwide. 

I wish to understand the pain or comfort ancient artists experienced. Through experimental archaeology, I use their methods, equipment, materials, and practices to better understand their art. I also hope to explore the artist’s culture, society and more. Through my work, I hope to bring the art back and soul of the ancient artists back to life. 

The human body provides a framework for conveying the truth, harnessing the potential for great beauty and great discomfort. As a black woman, I explore cultural history and individual losses in this way and search for the impact of these realities on the mind, body and spirit. Through the use of figurative storytelling and portraiture in clay, I reflect on facets of personal and communal identity as well as topics around trauma and healing. Deconstruction, imperfections, raw edges and fragmentation are cultivated to intensify that fragility that is found when people are hurting. I am on a lifelong journey to not only examine and understand these things for myself but for others, as a practice of communal healing, wholeness and liberation.