Patti Connor-Greene
Artist Statement
I have always loved surfaces transformed
by wind, water, and time: worn stone carvings
at Angkor Wat, mottled copper greens of
ancient Chinese bronzes.
Living in the rugged terrain and climate
of the Blue Ridge Mountains has influenced my work.
Our daily views of Grandfather Mountain, the
Linville River, and the woods behind our studio
offer continually changing studies in color, light,
and texture that find their way onto my pots.
For me, experimenting with clays and glazes is
like immersion in the wilderness:
the joy of exploring & the thrill of discovery.
And it is the texture and palette of the wild –
forest, mountain, river, stars - that sparks my work.
Using stoneware or porcelain,
I form each pot on a kickwheel,
and then carve, facet, or apply thick slip
to create deep texture.
Pouring, spritzing, and spraying multiple glazes
creates layered surfaces that reference
the natural world:
the movement of water over rock and vegetation,
the luminosity of ice and snow and sky.
Pottery is ancient elemental simplicity:
hands, earth, water, air, fire.
Yet making pots is rich in complexity:
endless invitations to experiment
with materials & textures & firing processes.
After 48 years of working with clay, I feel like I’m
still just beginning to discover its
possibilities and surprises.
Opening my kiln is the closest I get
to being a six-year-old on
Christmas morning.
by wind, water, and time: worn stone carvings
at Angkor Wat, mottled copper greens of
ancient Chinese bronzes.
Living in the rugged terrain and climate
of the Blue Ridge Mountains has influenced my work.
Our daily views of Grandfather Mountain, the
Linville River, and the woods behind our studio
offer continually changing studies in color, light,
and texture that find their way onto my pots.
For me, experimenting with clays and glazes is
like immersion in the wilderness:
the joy of exploring & the thrill of discovery.
And it is the texture and palette of the wild –
forest, mountain, river, stars - that sparks my work.
Using stoneware or porcelain,
I form each pot on a kickwheel,
and then carve, facet, or apply thick slip
to create deep texture.
Pouring, spritzing, and spraying multiple glazes
creates layered surfaces that reference
the natural world:
the movement of water over rock and vegetation,
the luminosity of ice and snow and sky.
Pottery is ancient elemental simplicity:
hands, earth, water, air, fire.
Yet making pots is rich in complexity:
endless invitations to experiment
with materials & textures & firing processes.
After 48 years of working with clay, I feel like I’m
still just beginning to discover its
possibilities and surprises.
Opening my kiln is the closest I get
to being a six-year-old on
Christmas morning.