Kari Therrien

Functional Pottery

I want to connect individuals through the pottery I make.  I believe that when using a handmade object, one cannot help but be conscious of how it feels.  It is this noticing and observing that will pause the user for a moment to consider this connection between self and vessel.  I am intrigued with the way food can bring people together.  I am captivated by the relationship between pottery and food and how pots can enrich the experience of a meal.  In the American culture where life is fast paced, coffee breaks and meals are a time to relax and re-energize.  The sharing of food or a cup of coffee can be a time to build relationships.  Sharing this way is a time of communication, slowing down and strengthening bonds.  Handmade pottery can enrich this experience and make the basic pleasure of food even more enjoyable.

I have experienced how pottery enriches the mundane and desire to share this consciousness.  I am captivated by the simple splendor of using well-made pottery and challenged by the endless techniques used to produce it.  My animated forms express the reverie and delight I experience when using handmade vessels. By way of intentional surface treatment and deliberate refinement, I desire to make work that is sophisticated and inviting to those who handle it.

POTTERY\ SCULPTURE \RESUME\ UNDERGRADUATE SHOW\ LINKS\ POTTER\

Kari Therrien. All rights reserved. 2009