Contemplation

Contemplation is a series of ceramic sculptures that stand independent of an external subject. Passive yet inviting, these sculptures raise questions about their origin, what they reflect, and how we interact with them. They invite the viewer to investigate the complex patterns and become lost in the repetition of small details.

Through the repetition of small, insignificant details, the most interesting, complex patterns are produced. The lattice of honeycomb, the ridges and spines of a sea urchin, the radiating seeds within a flower. These sculptures are born from my own contemplation of natural patterns such as these. Each sculpture begins with a similar base form, but then evolves uniquely. I attach many small pieces to a larger form or carve into the clay to produce these patterns.

Rolling balls of clay into spines, cutting shapes out of a slab of clay, then attaching them one by one onto the form, I lose myself in this meditative process, not following a plan or design for each object. In doing so, I am interacting with the sculpture, allowing it to guide my hand and evolve naturally. My choice of limited glaze colors further allows the form and pattern to be dominant while also quieting the objects, seeming to patiently wait for the viewer to engage with them. 

The resulting work stands autonomous and free of an external subject. In this way, they become reflections of my own contemplation and experiences. Contemplation engages viewers in a similar way, inspiring new experiences and personal contemplation through their own perspectives. Just as we contemplate them as objects, they return the contemplation, engaging with our inner selves.

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