Finding Inspiration in Organic Forms

Abstract

Finding Inspiration examines the growth processes and environmental effects that add patterns, shapes, and textures to natural objects. Soda-fired ceramic sculptures based on the artist’s collection of found organic forms gathered on her frequent travels center around the larger concepts of time and growth. Collected forms such as sea shells and coral pieces served as a catalyst for form and surface explorations that celebrated the inspiring intricacies of nature. Focusing on natural processes of growth and change over time also related to her own experiences as an artist and maker. Just as organic forms are constantly changing, from the accumulation of barnacle growth on a shell to the growth patterning on shells, people are also a product of their environment and retain vestiges of the experiences that have shaped them. Finding Inspiration sought to connect the author’s emotional response to and aesthetic appreciation of nature with tangible processes and artistic expression.