Working with clay, I am fascinated by certain forms, movement, and pattern, fusing all three into both the shape of the piece and the drawings on its surface. Imagery and the relationship of the images of the surface of the piece are the main focus of my work.
The greatest source of inspiration for my drawings are the exquisite, funny animals -- both real and imagined -- on Mimbre’s pottery from the American Southwest. Cave paintings of France and Spain as well as stone carvings of the Inuit people in Canada are also strong influences. My hope is to incorporate the life and spirit of all these elements into my own work.
My functional pots are porcelain or stoneware, wheel-thrown or hand built. Designs are created with glazes, and a wax-resist image is etched through black slip to the white clay beneath. My sculptures are hand built earthenware, brushed with terra sigillata and sawdust fired.
Martye Allen
Guest at Betsy Bowen Studios
September 25, 26, and 27
