Artist's Statement

Some of my earliest memories are of playing in the red clay dirt that surrounded me in the

mountains of North Carolina.  I take my inspiration for art from nature - her colors, textures and

forms are without equal.  Gas, soda,  pit and saggar firings allow me to add organic elements to

the clay and firings, and the results are always a surprise.  I find great beauty in those objects

most people walk on or ignore daily - moss, bark, rocks, shells, cracked dried mud, chipped

stones and rotting wood.  My greatest challenges  in working with clay are trying to duplicate

nature’s  wonderful textures and colors  onto the organic forms I have created.   My goal is not to

realistically copy nature’s work, but rather to compose my own  unique work  while drawing from

nature’s palette and textural complexity.  My goal is to produce work which will fit effortlessly into

the garden , outdoor room, porch, deck or lanai  and look as if it is a part of the natural landscape.

  Many of my pieces are non-functional.  A potter friend constantly reminds me that if a piece is not

functional it is nothing more than a dust collector.  She could be right, but I’ve always felt that any

piece which warms your heart, pleases your eyes, or makes you laugh  outloud has proved  it’s function.

Lynne McCarthy