Mission Clay Arts and Industry provides an unparalleled environment for the creative process and the development of new work and ideas. A program for artists to engage with the industrial ceramic fabrication process, we offer opportunities for reflection, dialogue, and exchange that build understanding and appreciation for the role of art in the world.
During my residency period, I created five finished carved pipe sculptures. For me, the experience was much different. The process of forming the material was entirely reductive, like a stone carver. I could only carve and remove material from the dense 3” thick extruded clay pipe. These works I developed in residence were inspired by my interest and research in navigational methods and myths, some human and some animal. Barred Spiral, a celestial galaxy, refers to the stars once used by mariners who used a sextant to navigate the oceans. Bee’s Azimuth, on the other hand, is an homage to honey bees and their ability to detect the Earth’s magnetic field. They are homing social insects whose workers collect food from a distance of up to 7 miles away from the hive. To find their way home, Honey bees rely on directional information from the sky compass provided by the sun. Bees can also memorize olfactory cues or visual landmarks to navigate around the hive.