Nourish

Description

This body of work explores the concept of craft and art within the field of cooking in conversation with ceramics. I create color palettes and textures from specific ingredients I cook with, which in turn inform my decision making in pottery. The plate acts as a frame or a pedestal for the food. People have always needed food to survive, but we are the only species that cares to present meals with care: both visually and physically. What gives me satisfaction as a maker is when I not only physically nourish people with food, but I simultaneously create an opportunity for my loved ones to converse, connect, and interact. I view the profession of cooking as one that is underappreciated and often discredited in the realm of art. It is important to me to highlight cooking as a craft and art in the same capacity as all other maker?s work is considered.

Combining my passion for cooking with ceramics was simple. I thought of something I worked with every day and an experience we all go through when we eat; I wanted to make plates, not typical white restaurant plates, but plates that focused on the shapes, colors and textures of the ingredients I was using. With that in mind and some help from local chef Devin Dearden I wanted to create a tasting menu for my show with plates that would act as a nice pedestal for the food.