I create art because it is my creative outlet. I want my audience to be engaged with what I create so they can be inspired to create and express themselves. When I work with clay I am reminded how pieces are continuous and are never permanent. Aspects can be added, removed and changed for the better. My artwork is meant to keep the viewer engaged and looking deeper into the meaning or idea behind the project. In order to do so I try to create dynamic projects. Keeping the project cohesive is very important to me because it gives the viewer a focal point and something to think about rather than chaos. 

    I begin a piece by coming up with a central idea and creating a few sketches. I then begin working on the project based on my favorite stech or aspect from each sketch. As I work with the clay I begin adjusting my piece until I am happy with what is in front of me. I know a piece is done when the surface and form accurately portrays and embodies the main idea of the piece When my work is going well, I am filled with a sense of accomplishment. What I like best about clay is how not everything is permanent. When something goes wrong it can be fixed or it can become a part of the piece. What I don’t enjoy about clay is how delicate it is and how it can go wrong in many places. In the kiln things can  go wrong out of our control, like with air bubbles or the project collapsing under itself. Both the positives and negatives are factored in when making decisions about the form. I can’t control every aspect but I can control how I respond to the inconveniences. The first sketch is not always how the project will come out in the end. I have to work with whatever challenges comes my way.

    This year I noticed a geometrical and dynamic pattern with my pieces.  Throughout all of my pieces I like to keep the surfaces clean and create smooth edges. My favorite and most successful pieces were my hand-held structure and my idea for the surrealist bust project. The difference between these pieces and my other pieces were how excited I was about my idea to start. Although I wasn't one hundred percent sure how I was going to construct them at first, I am very happy about where the design took me. In previous years, I have taken a more functional approach to my pieces but I wanted to challenge myself with new ideas. My handheld project challenged me most because I explored a new style with trial and error. I am also interested in my teapot idea because it takes inspiration from other artists but it is cohesive with my theme as well. I also am able to make it my own with color and geometrical shapes. By failing and making mistakes, I learned how to control the clay better which made me into a better artist.