Wendy Kusmaul Keeling

Lives and works in Yulee, FL, USA

Artist statement

As a child I was drawn to all thing’s nature. I drove my poor mother crazy playing in the mud, bringing home critters, playing with my rock tumbler, and falling out of trees. Even from a young age I was drawn to the water, finding my way to the waters edge every chance could get. I find ebb and flow of the tides and the imprints it leaves behind in the sand, shells, and stones underneath mesmerizing and meditative. It was almost a given that I would find my way to clay as a medium. The touch of the clay helps to make me feel grounded. A constant reminder of my connection to the earth below. My recent ceramic work reflects my continued attraction to texture and the world around me. Forms are thrown on the wheel or made from slabs of clay. I then alter the clay with texture and by stretching or draping. I see the multiple pieces as a puzzle. Each piece has a relationship with those surrounding it. The overall composition is decided by the interaction of the texture found in nature combined with man-made imprints to represent the beauty in conflict. The movement of the patterns ever climbing, rippling, and finding their way together, much like the imprints left by the tide. The seemingly spontaneous combinations culminate in a complex yet intuitive composition that leads the eye around the surface of textures. The process of wood firing adds a physical connection. Preparing the work and cutting the wood is quite a commitment. The firing itself can take many hours or even...

Artwork