Specimen — Sonshine Ceramics

Artist statement

The ocean is where all life began. The ancient connection between water and sunlight is what gave birth to the first organisms. The vast biodiversity of a single reef is enough to take one’s breath away. Each plant and animal works together in an ecosystem, creating communities that coexist with one another. It is a mutually beneficial arrangement that results in visually rich environments where form, texture, color, and movement stimulates the senses and inspires the imagination.

Evolution is the key to survival, and . Take the Sea Sponge, for example. A sea sponge begins as a simple celled organism that grows through an endless series of interactions in order to become the many different kinds we see today. It is incredible that without even the smallest plankton life would not exist and through influences those first microscopic organisms have become millions of different species.

My work is a reflection of this, manifesting itself into a theoretical evolution that is rooted in the recognition and appreciation of the natural world. I made pieces that were similar to radiolarians, as well as other single celled organisms and as they progressed they became more complex developing into several different series. Through intricate carvings and different textures, my pieces became strange artifacts of an alien sea. They represent the microscopic but ominous struggle where cellular building blocks cannot exist one without the other.

In my most recent series, as seen throughout this book, I have begun to apply new surface techniques. I started growing crystals on the pieces as a replacement for traditional glazing. The result was spectacular, providing a sense of movement and depth that had been lacking in my previous surfaces. This experiment led to the development of smaller pieces whose forms present the viewer with caverns and hills; the crystals create small environments of their own. These works were like a manifestation of the coral reefs and suggest this idea of growth and decay working together to create these beautiful, almost gem-like forms that will continue to grow for years to come.