Saturday, November 14, 2009

round and round we go












I have always been drawn to the circle. I remember someone telling me when I was young, that if you were able to draw a perfect circle freehand, that meant you were an artist. Well, that seems nutty really and also discouraging, but it does mean that you are someone who is interested in shape, forms and the way in which they are depicted.
Lately, circles in all forms have found their place on my plate design. Almost a little obsessively actually. To me the sphere is a hopeful shape and is also a sacred form in Native American culture as well as many other cultures around the world. So of course I see circles everywhere. Here are a few examples from my run the other day. I particularly love the way that Eva Hesse incorporates this shape--as well as the amazing sapling sculptures of Patrick Dougherty--very inspiring in all ways.

It's amazing how many circular things I have found in the sand, on the street and how cool they look when pressed into clay. I also like just drawing freehand abstract circles --not perfectly round--but executed with an opening or just slightly irregular, but still capable of enclosing an object, word, sketch in my head.....