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A U D R E Y B E N S L E Y
Growing up, my activities were farm chores, climbing trees and making mud pies. After bouncing around colleges and switching majors, I married an art teacher attending his classes in art history, photo and design. I became focused and hooked. More schooling prepared me for teaching ceramics, 2D and 3D design. The latter were invaluable tools for my clay work and are now part of an inherent vocabulary. I sketch in clay as if it were the finished product, not knowing where the next bump or line will be. I start with a loose idea of form, often things in juxtaposition, circle/square, positive/negative, smooth/textured. Then, as Einstein said, "sometimes while eating an apple, the solution proudly presents itself and says, "here I am." Wheel forms are often manipulated, stretched, paddled or cut. Rocks, vegetables, trees, the ocean are the springboard for many of my forms though they are often metamorphosed beyond recognition. I found porcelain to be a particularly fine surface for my interest in color; thus the miniature amphora (i.e. "pocket-pot"), was born. As a teacher, I am fortunate to have had the time to travel, teach and show in Canada, Western Samoa, Germany, Japan and throughout the United States and my native New England. My images are like my friends, numerous and varied, and like my cooking, rarely following a recipe. But I keep in touch with my old "friends" and make variations of favorite forms. I prefer raw fuel firing to that of electricity. It emphasizes the natural aspects of the clay and this certain amount of unpredictability pleases me. I feel my work is best when I listen to the clay and "follow my bliss." |
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