the things
I make functional I find beauty in the tradition of functional pottery. My forms are made to be both seen and used: cups, plates, bowls—vessels potters have been making for eons. sculptural As I've developed my craft, I've expanded into making sculptural work - well, most of my sculptures are functional, but as we all know - "art is anything you can get away with". I use my work to hold space for complex ideas about relationships or justice or beauty. Sometimes a cup is just a cup. But sometimes it can spark a difficult but important conversation. Sometimes it can express an emotion that’s too big to verbalize. |
thoughts on
the things i make I want the objects I create to be as honest as possible. That means leaving some surfaces unglazed to give the holder a way to see and connect with the clay in its most elemental state. It means simple, elegant glaze surfaces that don’t detract from the form, but enhance it. And it means that the work is approachable - I want people to feel comfortable picking things up. While everything, especially pottery, is ephemeral, a mug should be a thing you’re not afraid to use for fear of dropping it. I want the things I make to bring a little bit of delight to everyday occurrences. Use my work for snack time or happy hour, don't lock it away to be seen but not touched. Like most potters, I want my art to become a vehicle for elevating an everyday experience into a moment of shared artistic joy - an epiphany even, if we’re really lucky. Connecting with people over an object that fits in the palm of my hand will always be a wondrous thing. |
and why no,
it's not too late I became an artist later in life. I didn’t discover ceramics until my late thirties and my age has informed my work in a way I didn’t anticipate. In middle age, I know what I like. I know what I value. I can appreciate the way I work, and build my practice around my own habits and abilities rather than shoehorning myself into a place I don’t fit. That kind of personal knowledge is invaluable to an artist, and it wasn’t available to me 20 years ago. I hadn’t yet seen enough of the world.I didn’t have anything to say then. I do now. |
the name...
why is it juniper clay when my name is kristina?
oh, that's because i'm a sucker for romance.
my husband proposed to me in the backcountry of joshua tree national park surrounded by california junipers.
my business name is a tribute to that.
why is it juniper clay when my name is kristina?
oh, that's because i'm a sucker for romance.
my husband proposed to me in the backcountry of joshua tree national park surrounded by california junipers.
my business name is a tribute to that.