Artist Statement

People who do not break things first will never learn to create anything.
       ---Tagalog Proverb

When I first stumbled upon this proverb, I identified with breaking things, literally. I have always found enjoyment in dropping pots off of roofs, pitching to students with bats perched on top of dumpsters, weeding out the pots I make, shattering the illusion of each piece being precious. As my work matures, I find that I am just as likely to break ideas and rules that are limiting. I follow the what-ifs that gently waft out of each kiln unloading, embracing the questions inspired by collaboration with fire and clay.

Much of my learning has been through wood firing, where the potter relinquishes control in favor of collaboration with the wood and fire. I've become smitten by the process of letting go, and work to carry that dynamic into more controlled firing processes as well. The results emanate aesthetic values based in nature rather than human production, and are often one-of-a-kind, non-replicable gems that will continue to reveal themselves from different angles, in the changing light of dawn to dusk, for years to come.

My functional work is meant to be enjoyed in the hand and the eye, on the table, desk, mantle, wherever we go in life. My hope is that you find that certain part of your life where pottery fits in with significance, and cherish that connection whenever it moves you. Create your own ritual, whether it's sipping your morning coffee before the bustle, decanting wine from a side-fired bottle, showcasing flowers from your neighbor's garden, or serving homemade pasta on a Saturday evening. Make space for our collaboration to reveal itself.

Joy Bridy
2006