I make functional ceramics, meant to infuse daily routine with beautiful, fun imagery to elevate daily moments and bring us into the present. I make this imagery with the sgraffito technique.
Sgraffito is a decoration technique in which the artist carves through a slip to reveal a contrasting colored clay body beneath. I mainly work with black and white sgraffito in which I paint a black underglaze over my pieces and carve through it to reveal the white clay beneath. The end result is reminiscent of a linoleum block print.
Most of the imagery I put on my pieces is from nature: flowers, vegetables, fruits, people. I choose imagery based on positive memories, or positive feelings I currently have with the subject. I chose a strawberry motif for the memory of eating sun-ripened strawberries as a child. I drew a person holding a sleeping dog based on the feelings of love and coziness I get from cuddling with my own dog. I hope the audience finds the images beautiful and fun and they also provoke their own positive memories and feelings.