Soft Edges

These wood and ceramic objects are studies in composition, atmosphere and place. The ceramic pieces show the effects of reduction firing processes on various clay bodies: porcelain, stoneware, earthenware. For several months, I collected the discarded clay pieces from the edges of slab projects, cut them into squares and rectangles and slipped into the corners of any kiln that had space. This reminded me of the scraps of fabric my mom would give me from her sewing projects, or pieces of dough cut from the edge of a pie crust. This body of work was originally created for an exhibition at the Panza Verde Gallery in Antigua, Guatemala. The glossy green glaze in some of the objects refers to the jade stone that is skillfully carved by Mayan artisans with the majestic Guatemalan highlands in the background. The driftwood was on a beach at Lake Michigan near the town where I was born. Soft Edges is an attempt to retrieve the pieces around the edges of things that are typically be discarded. These wall-hanging, earthy assemblages are designed to enhance a domestic space.

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