Jim Smith

As a maker of functional ceramic objects intended for a domestic context, I draw cues from historical models that serve as a framework on which to build contemporary ideas regarding function and beauty. My work engages the history of ceramics and explores various cross-cultural influences that are a part of the evolution of contemporary ceramic practice. The forming methods I utilize include a combination of thrown and altered, handbuilt, and molded work depending on the intention of the piece. I use a Nova Scotia red earthenware clay and seek to create rich, sensual surfaces by building up and drawing through layers of slip using the sgraffito technique, then applying numerous sulfates, stains and glazes. In the context of the home, my work serves as an object of beauty and contemplation but also functions graciously in the serving of food or display of flowers. My intention is to provide a well considered contemporary object encoded with historical references that can offer an intellectual, visual, and sensual experience that enriches one's life.