FlourishingFocus by Jenn Cole April 19, 2022

Flourishing
Focus by Jenn Cole

Statement
I believe functional pottery should beautify everyday rituals and be a pleasure to use. I make pottery with the goal of welcomed utility and quiet moments, but also the hope of sharing meals with loved ones using my handmade vessels.

Familial connections, antiquity-inspired imagery, and creating a dialogue between the past and present are at the foundation of my work. I am inspired by a quilt meticulously crafted by my great grandmother and stories of the past: stories about my relatives and how their history shapes my own.

Memory is preserved through the tactile experience and archival process. My grandmother’s handmade quilt represented family and the wear and tear of everyday life. Every stain and frayed fiber tells a story of that fabric and gives insight to questions that I cannot ask of the past. Clay as a material acts as retention of memory in a similar manner, remembering and preserving every detail throughout the making process.