These vessels are part of a larger organic kitchen set titled, “An Open Eye into Nature.” They combine elements of nature and the external world with ceramic objects that are used in a household environment. 

My idea for this series came about while walking through St. Joe’s and noticing the beautiful trees, various textures and delicate flowers. I simultaneously saw many students traveling to class, heads down, staring at their phone screens. 

Feeling as though no one else was observing the details of the environment, I was inspired to make this project a reflection of the beauty I saw while also creating functional objects. I believe transforming nature into something with use will make people notice and admire it more.

Because of the organic theme of this series, everything is handbuilt. Pieces were created through the process of coil or slab building and then manipulated to better reflect and encompass all the different colors, textures and shapes of nature. 

While clay is the main medium of this series, other materials were used in creating the surface. Leaves from the campus garden and surrounding St. Joe’s area were used to create imprints on some of the vessels. 

Other pieces include handmade elements that add to the surface design. Examples of these are leaves, a mushroom and coils to represent branches. Furthermore, by adding these elements, I intend to bring light to beautiful objects people may walk past everyday and not notice.