Ceramics/Pottery
Chelsea Summersall
The Clay School, Room 316
rowhousepottery.com
My work is grounded in the traditional pottery of the American Northeast and draws influence from Japanese making techniques that focus on a meditative commitment to the process and a celebration of the inherent imperfections of handmade wares. I am grateful for the boundaries that function and tradition place on my work. As such, I aim to make pots that evoke a sense of history, yet are born entirely of the present.
Pottery is the intersection of art and craft - the perfect combination of form and function - which makes it an ideal way to add a bit of art into our hectic, modern lives. The way a handle is marked by the maker's fingers, the slight imperfections of a rim, glaze breaking over an altered surface - all of it is entirely unique to that piece. This can make something as humble as a simple mug into a piece of art. As such, my hope is that my pots will be used often, and not treated preciously. That their use becomes an opportunity for connection, appreciation, and contemplation.