Since the end of 2020, I have been working with redart clay, copper wire, and bentonite.

Redart, for its richness in Iron. 

Copper wire as a conductor of energy. 

Bentonite as a cleansing agent. 

This page is dedicated to the research, notes, and works that have generated from this exploration.

redart/copper wire, 2021

redart, copper wire

cone 04

Copper wire is sewn and laid into circular slabs of redart clay. Redart is rich in iron; copper wire is a conductor of energy and is an important element in our bodies that helps move oxygen.  Fired to cone 04, right before the melting point of copper, the wire remains mostly brittle, having melted only slightly in some areas. 

The clay and copper wire have undergone transformations and this piece exists as evidences of every one. The cracks on the bottom slab are points of tension. The redart clay is sturdy, smooth, and held. The copper wire was activated, leaving traces of its movement.

the bentonite cleanses while scarring the redart, 2021

redart, bentonite

cone 04

Small, handheld sculptures made of redart clay are formed from my body and are coated in a bentonite glaze. The redart, rich in iron, embodies the body and the blood (also rich in iron) that keeps it alive. The bentonite functions as a cleansing agent (as it is an ingredient present in face masks and is used in studies to absorb metal toxins from the earth's soil) absorbing any toxins from the surface it engages with. Once fired, the bentonite flakes, is rubbed off, and the redart sculptures are left scarred. This work is exploring the relationship between these materials, and is part of a conversation that explores the dynamic between the fragility, resilience, and memory of the body.