“Illite/ Industrial Felt”, 2023, Wild clay, Oil Paint made from Natural Illite, and Industrial Felt, 26” x 24” x 4”

 This piece is an exploration of fabric movement in both an industrial and natural sense. The three ceramic forms have a sculpted fabric-like texture wrapping around them. This very organic and soft movement of fabric is at odds with its hard material. They are mounted onto and pressing into stacks of evenly cut industrial felt, giving movement to the otherwise hard edges and solid looking geometric piles. The vertical wall mounting of this piece creates curiosity into how the pieces are attached and interact. The ceramic pieces are painted in an oil paint I made with Illite, a wild green clay body, also known as terre-verte. This Ohio wild clay does not remain green after firing, so to preserve its green color, I use the millennium old technique of making oil paints. This technique also extends the little amount of this clay I was able to source, giving a scarcity and specialness to the ceramic texture as opposed to the almost limitless industrial felt supply I can access.