This March, 2024, I took off work for one month to embark on a studio adventure. I packed my bags and left for Lindsborg, KS, to spend the month wandering town and decorating a batch of my hand thrown pottery. Each piece was made on the pottery wheel by me in the months leading up to the residency. Then, I used ceramics paints called "underglazes" to embellish each piece. My mission was to collect motifs and stories to tell using my pottery and decorations. I haven't painted much since I graduated Bethany College in 2014, so this month was spent exploring and getting comfortable with my paintbrushes again.
Utilizing flowers that represent love, loss, and my childhood was a deliberate choice on this piece. The artist residency was near to my home I grew up in, but very far away from my current home, so I was met with a nostalgia I had to reckon with. This design was my offering to my community that I've moved away from physically but am still there in spirit.Â
This painted serving bowl measures 8"w x 3"h.