The process of coil building contemporary forms that honor traditional craft.
Much like woven baskets or log cabins, the coil built vessel is pieced together one by one in a linear manner. There is no disconnect between the construction technique and surface decoration, as the two are one in the same. With each functional form, the only decoration comes from the manipulation to its natural materials: the way the logs are jointed, the way the reed is woven and twisted, or the way the coils are rolled and combined. In all three processes, the linear aesthetic of individual elements stack to create each utilitarian form. Each making technique is just as apparent on the outside as the inside, conferring a sense of transparency and honesty. I strive to hone the honest qualities of craft in my work as I aim to reference the history of functional craft traditions and how they illustrate the passing of time.
Hand-rolled coils create a rhythmic softness emphasized by the lack of an exterior glaze. The smooth, raw clay further references the honest vulnerability of the composed form. Recent color theory explorations have led to the introduction of colored clay combined with the raw porcelain. Additions of color are just as visible on the inside as the outside, reiterating that surface decorations and structural components are one in the same.
All work is made of a porcelain manufactured in Medicine Hat, Canada. The clay is vitrified at 2230 degrees Fahrenheit (cone 6) and has a beautiful satin finish to the exterior of the clay when it is left raw and unglazed. All functional tableware has a handmade liner glaze that is a clear matte, but all exteriors are unglazed to better illustrate the construction technique. The pendant lighting series remain unglazed so that the translucency is not dulled and the raw porcelain can show off in all her glory.
Breena wrote a process article for Pottery Making Illustrated that was published in the December 2018 issue. If you are a student or looking to learn more about the details of coil building on top of wheel thrown segments, this is the place!