Amy Swanson

Portland, Oregon

Title: Wasp Nest Series #1

Year of Creation: 2005

Glaze: Wood fired to cone 13, shino liner glaze

Clay Body: Stoneware

Dimensions: Height 32 inches, Width 10 inches

Artist's Statement: Large ceramic sculpture presents enlightening challenges. I handbuild my work using coils and slabs without the use of armature. Typically my work is a vessel or grouping of vessels that refer to or directly represent birds, the human form, seeds, stones, and nests. My intent is to address the sensuality of clay and the interconnectedness of life forms and circumstance. Every piece I make could hold water which I find to be an unshakable instinct. I feel that sculpture with a function, even an ambiguous one, lends itself to familiarity.