Towards Yellow

I have always worked in series, with one piece leading naturally to the next.. The series evolves, and at some point it feels complete. 

Sometimes the next step is obvious, there’s a new series in my head that I urgently need to begin. But sometimes I find myself thinking, “What comes next?”

These moments are really important. Things are wide open. 

We were walking around Detroit, and my wife said out of nowhere, “What about yellow?” And I said, “Yellow.”

I had never worked with yellow.  What could happen if I just started with a color, and let things roll?

I didn’t have yellow glazes, so I had to come up with some. A whole, unexpected palette developed.  

What kind of shape should I put yellow on?....

And that’s how it starts.  

Using my iPad and cardboard, I developed and mocked up new vessel forms, and made pattern pieces for building them in clay.  

I played around with a new idea, making photocopies of glazes and using them to map out how I would approach the surfaces. 

For me, yellow is intense, high pitch, electrical. I’m making jagged, complex pieces that can handle it.