Pot in hand

Mary Demege

My pots are made using simple, traditional hand building methods. From coils and slabs, I create rustic yet contemporary shapes. I use textures and glazes that emphasize the raw materials and the forms. Atmospheric firings with wood or soda further enhance the character of each pot. My shapes and surfaces are inspired by rusted farm equipment, industrial machinery and geological formations. Seams and attachments offer the viewer clues about the structure and fabrication of the pot. Imperfections are embraced. In my eye, the most compelling details are deliberately imperfect. Handmade pottery reveals the hand and the heart of the potter. Pottery is meant to be touched, to be hefted, to be felt, in order to be fully experienced. I love the low-tech simplicity of hand building which has allowed me to create this series of pots.

For the past six years, I have been exploring the use of coils and slabs to craft a series of vessels. These techniques have been in use since people first started using clay. The bottles are shaped by my hands and simple tools, but also by my observation of the natural environment from which the raw materials are derived. I am inspired by the cliffs and canyons of the desert Southwest. The man-made structures that reside in this environment also provide inspiration for my pots.

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