Place-Setting welcomes you to the table no matter the distance. Through handmade functional ceramics arranged in a table setting, we see a story of friends gathering and how themes of human connection and distance are explored in everyday tableware.
—
The concept of Place-Setting comes from my own experience as someone who’s moved away from home. Most of my close friends have done the same and it has changed how I interact with old friends and family members.
I’m interested in the play between themes of intimacy and distance within the domestic ceramic object, a medium that is dependent on the physical presence of its users.
From the intimacy of doing laundry together while video calling, to simply sending memes and videos, I explore the intricacies of long distance relationships through illustrated cups, bowls and plates.
—
2023 installation at the Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador Gallery.
I acknowledge the support of ArtsNL for this project.
Illustrated loaf pan depicting objects and memories from 2019 in Newfoundland, Canada.
Speckle clay body with white slip sgraffito illustration. Clear and turquoise glazes.
Artist Statement for Bittersweet, at the Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador Gallery:
My partner and I came to live with my grandfather (Poppy) in 2018. Even though his health had declined during the previous winter, he welcomed us with open arms. Growing up I visited my Poppy many times, but that year I got the chance to really know him. He was a prolific baker; regularly making homemade bread, ginger snap cookies, date turnovers, lemon squares, and some delicious savory dishes. So, when we arrived, we got to baking! Poppy would sit in the kitchen and be the director. Under his guidance, I made his signature homemade bread for the first time and it was amazing. I felt that if I could make bread, I could try anything.
In honour of Poppy who passed away on Dec, 20th 2018, nine days shy of his 88th birthday, I wanted to make loaf pans. For me, the bittersweet feelings surrounding Newfoundland and Labrador are exemplified in this series of 6 loaf pans. Decorated panels represent memories from both visiting and living on the island. Most memories are sweet: blueberry picking in Avondale, hearing the terns in Salmon Cove, and parties where Poppy would play his accordion. Poppy’s house was a gathering place for family, friends and even strangers. In a way, losing Poppy also means losing a tether to the island, losing a common home.
Inspired by the theme of “light,” this series of sculptures explores identity, storytelling and personal mythologies. On the ceramic TV screen, a rainbow coloured test pattern references the LGBTQ+ flag and reveals how television-based media created a space for exploration and questioning. The sgraffito illustrations enveloping the piece simultaneously depict moments of loneliness, shame and conflict against scenes of discovery and love.
Dimensions: 6.5” x 7”x 6.75”
“I looked back at my personal history with pop culture consumption in connection to my own sexuality. I thought of the television, which during a quietly turbulent time in my life, was a medium where I sought out the stories of queer women characters.”
Dimensions: 6.5” x 5.5”x 6”