Ritual Series Cup 5

The Ritual Series cups explore family tradition and memory bias. Central to the inspiration for these cups is the vague memory of a Chenille bedspread which was in a family-owned communal multigenerational beach house that I spent my summers in throughout my childhood. A survey of cousins, aunts, uncles, relatives and my immediate family members revealed the inherent biases of memory, the color and texture of the chenille bedspread remains a foggy mystery as each family member recalls it differently. This series is an exercise in repurposing dissolving memories through tactile engagement. The “teeth” on the cup's rim is an ornamentation I have been sneaking into my work for years. The “teeth” have lived on totally functional dinnerware as well as sculptural forms and centerpieces. On the Ritual Series cups, they serve as a fidget and an additional facet of the tactile texture of my work. They are also a reminder to slow down and take in what’s in your environment and how you utilize your objects of daily ritual and intention. 

A lot of care and tenderness is infused into the cups. First, raw colorant is wedged little by little into the porcelain, to create a consistent pigmented ball of clay to start with. After throwing the cups on the wheel, they are trimmed. Following this, when the clay is at a leather hard stage of drying, I take a plastic needle brush and stipple the surface of the cup akin to the texture of chenille. Then once the cup is bone dry, I take shellac and freehand paint intuitive designs onto the surface. Once that dries, I carefully water carve the vessel using a wet sponge. The cups go through 2 firings and 1 additional firing for gold luster teeth. The process of stippling and water etching the surface is very meditative and slow.