Ceramics
3D mediums, including ceramics, are not my strongest suit, but I enjoyed learning the techniques and methods of hand-building. I was excited by the challenge it presented me to create physical forms, whether functional or more decorative. I also gained valuable collaboration skills by getting to work with my peers to create the tree structure. By the end of a semester of learning, I was able to create a 21-inch long high heel shoe addressing femininity, power, and the complexities of being a woman.
Under the Sea, terracotta, ceramic glazes, 5.25” x 3” x 11.5”, 2024
Mug 1, Waves, terracotta, ceramic glazes, 3.5” x 3.25” x 4”, 2024
Waves, terracotta, ceramic glazes, 3.5” x 3.25” x 4”, 2.75” x 2.5” x 4”, 2024
Mug 2, Waves, terracotta, ceramic glazes, 2.75” x 2.5” x 4”, 2024
Rain, terracotta, ceramic glazes, 3.25” x 3.25” x 3.25”, 2024
Sorting Hat, terracotta, ceramic glazes, 6” x 6” x 7”, 2024
Giving Tree (group project), terracotta, ceramic glazes, 14” x 11.5” x 22”, 2024
Walk a Mile, terracotta, ceramic glazes, 11.5” x 6.5” x 21”, 2024 ..................................................................................................................................................... This ceramic high heel shoe is a tactile exploration of femininity, power, and the complexities of being a woman. I wanted to capture the contrast of high heels being both a symbol of strength and vulnerability. The shoe, traditionally associated with ideals of beauty, grace, and sometimes discomfort, is reimagined as an object that reflects the tensions women navigate daily. The high heel, in this piece, becomes a metaphor for the act of balancing between independence and societal pressures. While high heels are often seen as a tool for empowerment, they also speak to the painful constraints of beauty standards. The shoe is meant to indicate both power and pain, showing that being successful and beautiful as a woman is not easy and comes with its own challenges. The fragility of the structure also shows the delicate nature of the balancing act women are stuck in. I want viewers to look at the high heel and see not just a shoe, but also the experience of women.