Nicole Pitcher, BFA Ceramics

Working with clay captivates me through the profound sensory experience of touch. The feeling of clay centered on the wheel grounds me in the moment. It allows my ever-racing mind a respite from the chaos of life. My deep connection with wheel-thrown vessels created on the wheel is a prime inspiration for my work.

 

This body of work involves layering and manipulating clay slips harvested from the property of my Indiana childhood home to refer to the intricate patterns, such as seen in the wind-eroded textures of sandstone cliffs in the American Southwest. The duality of control and chaos is what I aim to reflect in my work. I find beauty in this duality, and I express this through clean, well-defined forms combined with flowing organic slip work. It is a visual reminder that life is a dance between contrasting forces.

 

The forms created for this exhibition consist of functional vessels, such as teapots and large vases. Teapots, for instance, with their precisely formed spouts and handles, find balance with the organic textures and flowing lines of their bodies. Each vessel becomes a canvas for the transformative forces of the wood-fired kiln. Water introduced during the cooling process unites with fire, echoing the convergence of powerful forces that not only inspire me but also reflect the very fabric of the world around us.