About the Process: Flowing

When I started building what would become the sculpture “Flowing”, I had no idea what it would be. I knew I was making an oval base that would become possibly a vase of some sort, but what it eventually became in the end was created as it went along.

It began with an oval slab, then as I worked my way up with coils, I decided to break away in parts. Instead of making one cylinder that would stand tall and even, I split it into two sections, creating an organic break and changing the form completely.

As the coils stacked upwards, I allowed them to bulge and shift, creating what looked to me like coral on the ocean floor. That was when an idea started to form, and I allowed myself to really lean into the thought of an ocean-themed sculpture.

Like most of my experimental pieces, the ideas start with either a decorative form or psychological concept, followed by the other. Since this piece began with form, the concept came as the structure grew. Water has been a key focus in my healing journey and I knew that this piece could serve to help release some thoughts about how that is true for me and also allow me to create beauty for others to view and find joy in.

I believe in allowing ourselves to be open to ideas, people, and thoughts coming to us when we need them, while also being mindful and discerning of how and if they will serve us. Once I understood the basic structure of the sculpture, I searched for quotes about water, eventually coming to one by Margaret Atwood, from her book The Penelopaid:

“Water does not resist. Water flows. When you plunge your hand into it, all you feel is a caress. Water is not a solid wall, it will not stop you. But water always goes where it wants to go, and nothing in the end can stand against it. Water is patient. Dripping water wears away a stone. Remember that, my child. Remember you are half water. If you can't go through an obstacle, go around it. Water does.”

This was it. This was a piece of the puzzle and was exactly what my sculpture needed. A bit of history – in my previous life I was a graphic designer ad eventually worked my way into management and art direction. This did not come without its challenges. I worked in an industry driven by competition, dominated by men and ripe with patriarchal viewpoints. Coming from a people-pleasing, good-girl upbringing, I struggled to find my voice and my way. It was in therapy I learned to look towards nature as a mentor - specifically water - as it was gentle yet could tear down walls if it had to. This piece became inspired by my growth from that young girl into the woman I was becoming, and the voice I was discovering.

It was then that I decided if this sculpture became what I envisioned in my head, I would enter it into ArtPrize, an international art competition and cultural event hosted by the city. I knew it would be the perfect piece to share and maybe others could connect with a piece of my story.

Once the coils were connected and the coral was completed, I added a few small anemones to the sides to give the piece some sculptural elements. I didn’t want to go overboard, because I had it in mind to draw a lot on this piece.

The creatures and plants I choose were all intentional. They all have spiritual or symbolic meanings for growth and positivity:

Octopus: creativity; intelligence; express yourself
Sea turtle: emotional strength; grounding; persistence
Seahorse: be neutral; gain perspective
Whale: trust your intuition; be still and flow
Starfish: renewal; healing; reinvention
Anemones: keeping your center
Seaweed: related to the unconscious mind
Jellyfish: being in flow; don’t force anything
Nautalis shell: grace in growth; order in chaos
Manta rays: grace; flow

The color palette was always meant to be blues, greens, purples, and some oranges for a pop of bright color. I wanted it to be muted and subtle but still hold power. I used my watercolor glazes and allowed them to drip and flow along the bisque piece, without much control or force. They needed to go where they wanted. When it came to the interior, the studio I was a part of at the time had this incredibly deep, rich blue glaze. I poured it into the piece, allowing it to flow.

What resulted was better than I could have imagined. I was so incredibly happy with the final sculpture. In ceramics, you sometimes never know what is going to come out of the kiln. That is what is so special about this medium, it can surprise you in the best ways and disappoint you in the worst, yet it always teaches you that while you think you have control, in the end you truly have to let go and allow it to become what it will become.

I did end up entering “Flowing” into ArtPrize 2023, and it was displayed at Courage & Soar on Monroe Ave.

I am so proud of being a part of ArtPrize, something I never knew I’d have the courage to do. There are some many small coincidences I could find in this story, some being: