Artist Statement

I like to participate in a daily practice of making art. During the making process, I oscillate between 3 main ideas. I am either coil building figurative pieces, pinching porcelain forms, or “stitching” luminaries.

Each practice develops a different part me. For example, when I am seeking stillness, I will work on luminaries or pinched porcelain forms. The techniques that I use to create these pieces are repetitive and get me into a “flow”. I find that these forms grow organically and tend to look like parts of nature. Clouds, coral, and waves begin to form as I roll and pinch the porcelain. On the other hand when, I am growing the luminaries, I find that circles of tiny people collaborating begin to emerge. Growth patterns develop in each form unique to the individual piece. As a result, like each cloud in the sky has its own form, each form I build has its own nature.

I also build head forms. These, I create by using a coil building method, similar to the way potters would build functional vessel forms. Because I coil build, I am able to push the form out from within. This technique works well if I want protruding noses or puffed lips forms. On the contrary, If I want deep set eyes I can press the clay from the outside inward. Through a series of push and pull, and repetitive coil building a head grows into being.

Often times while I work, I will write down words that come to mind. For example, “ When an intention is set, patterns will arise.” The process of making art helps me to see relationships more clearly. Not only do I see personal relationships, but also the relationships between the wind and the water, the micro-universe and the macro-universe, the animal world and the human world, or the relationship of parts to a whole.

Like when seasoning the soup, I seek balance and I feel satisfied when I my work feels right.

– Liz Delatore