Transmutable Ground
Exhibition Statement
Transmutable Ground reflects on the elemental language shared between landscape and ceramics, exploring ways to integrate bits of local geology into my nature inspired work. A small selection of responsibly gathered regional rocks and minerals are incorporated into each piece, either as a pulverized glaze ingredient or embedded whole and fired into the body of the piece. Several pieces are made with local clay.
Featured above is a dark, sparkly Caliche Aventurine glaze that I developed using an infamous Tucson Valley calcium carbonate (in place of whiting) that forms a cement-like layer just below the ground surface. Minerals and rocks from nearby mountains make an appearance in selected pieces as inclusions in the clay body. An array of small tiles display a sampling of rocks tested over the years.
The diversity of landscapes in the Madrean Sky Islands region have influenced my ceramic work, particularly the stunning canyon walls and rock formations in our local mountains. My creative process combines a love of pottery and hiking with an interest in glaze chemistry and geology. Each piece invites the clay to collaborate with me. Allowing the applied exterior texture to crack and form its own random terrain, I follow its lead in sculpting surfaces that resemble clay’s original source: rocks. Using the visual language of my favorite landscapes, my work explores how we move through life’s seismic shifts, exploring themes of fragility, durability, fracturing, realignment, and grounding in the midst of unpredictability.
*Clay and rocks were tested for toxic levels of elements such as lead using a handheld XRF spectrometer, courtesy of University of Arizona Professor Marcel Schaap. Whole rock analysis was completed for the Caliche (gathered from my backyard) by ALS Global in order to verify the food safety and durability of the Caliche Aventurine glaze*
My personal preferences for how to select and gather raw local rocks and minerals:
Select materials that are visibly abundant in the landscape.
Check to ensure that gathering materials is permitted on the land.
Choose loose stones, minerals and clays primarily found on or along roads, hiking trails, or actively eroding out of road cuts. I avoid digging or breaking pieces from boulders or larger rocks.
Only gather enough material for one batch of work at a time.
The landscape should not appear disturbed by my act of collecting materials.
Give thanks to this incredible planet, leaving something in return: a few genuine words asking permission and showing gratitude, a tiny greenware offering, a flower…something from that place in me that’s already connected to the Earth.
