Elizabeth Given

"I am drawn to use clay as a medium because of its ties to the past. It connects all people through all of time. I find the transformative qualities of clay particularly inspiring as well; it is extremely malleable when wet yet acquires a permanence and primitive looking quality when fired and left in a somewhat rough state. This rough state speaks of the ancient to me, and I enjoy the contrast that occurs when I place vibrant graphic imagery upon it; it feels in a way that I am bringing the old and the new together. The human desire to create and/or leave our mark interests me as well. I am fascinated by places and objects that have a visible history, whether scratched in, drawn on, or worn down by use. I find beauty in these things and my ceramic objects are a glorification of this, a place where I leave my mark. The imagery that I place upon these objects consists largely of stream of consciousness drawings that are reminiscent of the things that one may see in clouds, or the hypnagogic imagery that may be witnessed while falling asleep. I am interested in the dream state, imagination, and the inner worlds that exist within all of us. I think of these works as souvenirs from my mind, or as futuristic artifacts excavated from my imagination, my intuitive way of working being an unearthing process. This work allows me to contemplate the multidimensional qualities of our human experience and is a celebration of inner space."