Sarah Owens

Norris , TN

Ceramic Sculpture

Nature is a language older than words. Working as a ceramic artist, I have strived to express myself by using forms already familiar to us through the natural world. By capturing the delicate fragility of a petal or the promising fertility of a seedpod, one is able to recognize a universal message through metaphorical associations.

My inspiration began with exposure to different geographical regions including their organic diversity. After my first visit to northern California, I developed a series of “Sea Pods,” referencing aquatic textures as well as the forest giants. Through this series of vessels, I began revealing the raw honesty of the clay, amplifying the deep warm tones and manipulating its plasticity. The resulting narrative sculpturally redefines the traditional vessel by creating an internal space independent of utility.