Taoism in Practice

My art is a physical manifestation of my Taoist practice. Taoism is an ancient Chinese philosophy rooted in the practice of non-interference with the Tao. Taoist teachers often describe the Tao as the flow of nature and might be visualized as if it were a flowing stream of water washing over and guiding all of existence. Enlightenment to the Taoist in an ever-unfolding state of realization, leading to an expansion of the self. My ceramics process has been a practice of letting go of control, preference, and avoidance. In letting go of these tendencies I stretch myself into the state of enlightenment.

My forms are an invitation to the viewer to participate in the Taoist experience. Each piece should be touched and used so that it may fulfill its purpose of guiding the viewer toward enlightenment. Physical interaction with my work closes the gap between the person and the pot, inviting them to take part in the expansion of self. The ever-unfolding motion of enlightenment is much like a flowing stream of water, inspiring me to create forms with an intended use to hold and pour liquids. I mirror the movement of flowing water in both the shape of the vessel and its surface finishings. The goal of my art is to bring the viewer closer to the state of enlightenment, to ease their entry onto the path of the Tao.  

Atmospheric firing requires a potter to relinquish control to some extent. This release of power is something that initially drew me to atmospheric firing as it connected to my Taoist practice where I work towards experiencing a lack of preference and release myself from the idea of control. My current work puts more focus on using the kilns as an instrument that I may finely tune to create more intentional surface decoration. In the future, I would like to delve further into the arrangement of the kiln, placing my pots to intentionally create flashing that follows the movement of the form and the slip or glaze brushed onto it. The fire in the kiln may then act as a flowing stream, washing over and eroding the pots as if they were rocks in a river being shaped by the constant flow of water. The same way the Tao washes over me and you, molding us into what we were always meant to be. Thinking of the fire as a stream connects my ceramic process back to Taoism by using the flow of the fire to accentuate my surface decorations and forms.