River Shores – Ceramic Wall Installation

“River Shores” is a wall-hanging assemblage comprising two sets of 6 connected, similar but different, ceramic elements. This work bridges the idea of the river shores as the physical and metaphorical intersection of earth and water and, thereby, our identity with place. Inspirations include kayaking along the shallow shores of Britannia Bay on the Ottawa River.

I’m attracted to the malleability characteristics of clay and its metaphorical resonance with the idea of river shores. Pushing the wet clay through a press creates the organic shapes. Edges are smoothed, and holes are punched for hanging. The raised wavy clay coil along the centre of each shape is uniquely formed and secured using clay slip before the bisque and glaze processes. Strong plastic ties ensure secure assemblage.

River Shores is a three-dimensional continuation of my aesthetic exploration of our intersecting relationships with rapidly changing water corridors and their navigational markers, such as communities.

The amorphous-shaped ceramic elements are securely interconnected with clear plastic ties. They can be assembled as two side-by-side columns of 6 connected ceramic shapes, as shown, or as one long ceiling-to-floor column. The verticality and glaze colours reference the idea of a water corridor and the amorphous shapes of shores carved by the changes in water movement.

The assemblage elements fold one over the other for safe storage and shipping.