About my work
“To see beauty in that which is imperfect, old, modest and authentic.. “
I have always had a love for old things. Objects that show the passage of time. The roughness of wood that has weathered; the patterns and colors on an old wall; the structure and different shades of orange and brown of a rusted piece of iron.
I find the imperfection and (earthy) colors that arise from the aging of objects and materials interesting. It tells the story of the object, as it were.
In Japan they call it wabi sabi:
“To see beauty in that which is imperfect, old, modest and authentic.“
Not only the shape, but also the material (clay) and the simplicity of my work fit within wabi-sabi.
Alternative firing techniques provide the colors and random patterns that match well.
In recent years I have specialized in saggar firing in an electric kiln.
I mainly use printing molds to build up the work, so that I have more control over the shape. I make simple shapes that are sometimes reminiscent of old cooking pots.
A number of works were (intentionally) broken after the biscuit firing and reassembled after the saggar firing. This refers to old pots from excavations that have also been put back together and where each part is slightly different.
My challenge is to always find (new) possibilities that reflect the 'feel' of wabi-sabi.