\u27stillwater\u27 : An exhibition that explores touch and the everyday through ceramic objects and photography

The exhibition, stillwater, is a Capstone Project that showcases ceramic-based installations in addition to photographs by Ian Sherlock. Both Ian and myself use material and process in its raw form. The work that Sherlock exhibits in stillwater is a series of pinhole camera exposures of the sun passing. He sees this simple yet profound passing of time as an opportunity to gain tacit knowledge of the sun. In my work, I gain parallel knowledge in the medium of clay, as I am physically invested in every mark that I make. There is no smoothing over or correcting; every moment is recorded. In both of these direct and visible gestures, repeated acts become an offering of intimate access to the everyday. This reflective essay will provide the context for the work in this exhibition, formed by historical and contemporary artistic influences. These inspirations are aesthetic, material, and conceptual. The project is grounded in the experience that I had in Japan, where I focused on rituals that permeate everyday life. The research informed the central piece in stillwater, called Wash, where viewers are invited to wash their hands with a handmade pitcher and basin. Many other artistic influences are explored, who also focus their attention on the experience and objects of everyday life. Through contextualizing this exhibition, the reflection reveals the role of this body of work in contemporary Western culture, as it responds to a desire to deeply touch and connect to the overlooked moments in our everyday lives