Artist Statement

Skeletal Understanding

“As I entered my 20s, I experienced a greater awareness of how my family interacted with one another and how society worked around me. My eyes were opened to how these factors were impacting me and my identity. I was no longer on an ignorant stroll or meander but became more inquisitive with every interaction. Skeletal Understanding is inspired by ceramicist Jo Roets and is the material outworking of this journey of discovery and development. The organic and biological forms of the work draw the viewer in, stirring up an inquisitive feeling. The forms in Skeletal Understanding are strange but somewhat familiar as it is reminiscent of bones. Bones are central structures to our physical makeup as humans and represent the core of us as people. The diverse skeletal textures on the vessel illustrate my understanding of the transition of life into adulthood. The malleable nature of clay as a medium mimics the fluidity of this process. Similarly, the inside of the vessel has been left “raw” to emphasize the ongoing chaos of growing.”