Alisa Holen

Both metaphorically and as a three-dimensional design quandary, the nuances of relationships fascinate me. Since graduate school, I have taught at eight different colleges and universities. This has led to many new and interesting relationships, both professional and personal. It is in these relationships that I find inspiration. I am interested in creating dialogues and relationships between my ceramic forms. Special attention is given to the shapes and textures, swells and voids of their interactions. Beyond this, there is something immensely satisfying about finding artistic solutions to functional problems. There is such a rich and varied history in functional ceramics, that I enjoy keeping my work inside the boundary of ‘functional’, even if the presence of the piece is overwhelmingly sculptural.

The simple fact is that I love working with the clay, and making functional and contemplative pieces. It is the physicality of the making that brings me the most joy. A day in the studio is a great day… there is nothing more satisfying than full ware boards. It is gratifying to use skills that have been learned and honed over time to bring something useful into this world from a formless mass of clay. It’s taking part in a long history, and it connects me with the past. When others use the work I make, a new relationship is formed and the relationship metaphor is fully realized. I am proud and humbled to be a part of this remarkable ceramics continuum.