Movement and energy
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Date
1983
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Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture
Abstract
Movement and energy are the heart of my work. Movement is created by the manipulation of form, line, and color. These three elements are essential and create the energy of the work. The form, line, and color of the work express movement by the fluid qualities they exhibit. Form and line occur as a spontaneous flow of action and awareness while creating the work on the potter's wheel. The color is added by allowing both my input and the input of the firing process. By carefully arranging the work with organic materials and allowing the fire to integrate them, earth colors are produced. These colors are subtle, yet they are a vital part of the works' movement and energy. It is then that form, line, and color interact with each other and vary as they move around the work, thus creating the feeling of movement when the viewer is looking at them. Originally the forms came from the idea of the hat. This idea gradually became more a symbol of man in combination with landscape. As the work progressed the forms became just a subtle symbol of landscape. Upon reflection, I can see better the relationship of man and landscape in the work. The natural materials in the making of the work - clay, water, straw and fire - are certainly parts of the earth and the simple handling of the materials allow them to be known. In addition the forms give the impression of landscape because of their organic qualities, their flow and uneven nature. This is very much like the earth. Man's relationship shown in the objects, can be seen in several ways. The first relationship is that of the hat, which I see as a symbol of man; second is the creation of lines and finger impressions that indicate man's presence; and third is the fact that they are made by man on one of man's inventions, the potter's wheel. This helps reveal the fact that they were manipulated by man. Making this work brings about an energy and excitement, that is very important to me. It is that movement and energy in the work that gives them spirit and life. And life with spirit is the most important thing to me.