Artist Statement
It’s strange how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company. ~Author UnknownTransformed by a diverse and fruitful community, giving back has been a natural component of shared kinship. As I close one chapter of my life and begin another, I have come to cherish my experiences at Biola and the various individuals who have impacted me. Like a satisfying cup of tea, I have “steeped” in their personalities and souls.
To me the artist functions in society and culture primarily as a giver of gifts, both literally and figuratively. For my senior thesis exhibition I have created one-of-a-kind, personality-based teapots designed with a specific person in mind. As a blessing, I want to commemorate my colleagues and friends with a unique vessel that reflects something of their spirits.
The teapot is capable of three things: receiving, transforming, and giving. Clay has the same three qualities. Forming this mud, I’ve meditated on the relationship between teapots as vehicles of service, and Christ’s model of servant hood. When I create my pieces, I always think about the relationship between ceramics and the notion that God formed us from the earth’s soil.
