Ionic Unravelled, 2019, terra cotta, garbage bags, 23” x 192” x 96” 

Marble Ionic capitals of classical Western architecture are re-imagined as fleshy masses of terracotta clay, tightly wrapped in plastic. Their archetypal spiral scrolls relax, uncoil, and recline across the grassy field behind the Yellow House at Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts. Configured as a toppled ruin "restored" by imaginary archaeologists of these times, Ionic Unravelled will remain over the summer season to expand, contract, and blister under the Maine sun.

Ephemerality is rarely associated with ceramics, as it is commonly assumed that a ceramic piece’s final state is fired and permanent. However, an increasing number of artists are focusing on raw clay’s physical qualities, transformative capabilities, and connection to place. During this session, participating artists will explore clay in its impermanent state through studio-based work and site-specific installations. - Watershed 

Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts, Merit Scholarship Award, Summer Residency: Ephemerality in Clay, organized by Kate Roberts