Eons Ago
This panel makes a statement about rock formations and evokes intriguing questions about origins. The grouted tiles are finished with a variety of stains and are fired to look like ancient rock formations. These rough, abstractly patterned tiles suggest an unknown force responsible for their shaping---be it wind, water, or other long-term erosion. The somewhat repetitive pattern implies a divine intelligence that some might argue is in fact the case!
The unrefined, blackened pots on the shelf reference some of the earliest pottery “formations” made by humankind. While their smooth surface contrasts with the roughness of the blocks, they both possess a primitive quality and connect the viewer to the basic creative forces operating in these clay forms. The eggs are cradled in the pinch pots like nests, but one can also find eggs nestled in rock formations in nature. The obvious question of “which came first” relates to the current idea that our minds developed from creating things and not necessarily that we developed intelligence first, and then fashioned pots and tools.
Pinch pots often represent an individual’s initial exposure to clay. My first pinch piece is actually included in one of the later panels. Its thin walls and symmetrical shape foretell my inability to distance myself from the skills involved in making art. The meticulous glazing appears prophetic. My earliest formation---in terms of an individual lifetime---seems eons ago. Thousands of pots and other types of work have passed through my hands since that tiny pot.