Taking my time.
The slow, serene rhythm of shaping is good for me.
Shaping" is a beautiful word. The way. The work that brings a material to life.
I'm obsessed with shaping cucurbits.
Hubbard, Musquée, Poivrée, Delicata, ...
Goblets, plates, bowls, ...
I pick a few other varieties along the way.
Apples, eggplants, ...
The abundance of these fruits intoxicates me.
The harvest gives rise to a three-way dance.
The fruit, the earth and me.
Repetition of unique draperies.
I know the relationship is fleeting; at some point I'll have to eat the fruit;
before it spoils.
Clay containers will remain;
containers that will tell stories.
Stories of earth.
Nurturing soil.
I grew up on ochre and laterite soils.
I've retained a taste for color.
Ferrous sandstone and its vibrant palette.
The earth guides me.
I draw inspiration from it when the fruit isn't ripe.
And in anticipation,
pinched pots and doves; bottles.
Other containers take shape.
On the lathe, regular, smooth shapes.
Without straying far from what drives my practice, the diversity of techniques sets the pace.
My basket fills up.
And the harvest is here again!
New ideas are germinating,
and I know my basket will never be empty.
