Clay is a material that lends itself to collaboration, to community.  While many clay artists work alone in their studios, the process, the material itself, often calls upon individuals to come together and form a community to accomplish the end product.  Acquiring the clay, making the glazes, delivering work, installing a show, these activities are all much more successful when many hands come together. 

  Firing with wood, for example, is a long arduous process that requires many hands to load, stoke, and unload.  Yang-ja’s vase and teapot would not exist without both her vision and the community that fired the work.

  As with any creative process, the community that impacts the work might not even be in the room when their influence is expressed.  Melanie’s “Zippy” was inspired by the experiences of her friend who grew up with the original stuffed monkey.  Both Laurel and I were inspired by our parents to make  sculptures that celebrated their lives.

  Many artists spoke about the influence of the process and the material behavior in how their work emerged. The call and response between maker, material, method, and meaning is always happening.  In some ways we are never truly alone in the studio!

  This show presents both the breadth of individual expression and the collaboration of many.  In a way it presents the vision of the Arts Lab itself:  to be a creative community constantly changing as new voices and hands, new visitors and members, enter the space bringing diverse perspectives and experiences to share.

  It celebrates of the individual, the community, and the creative process, and we welcome you and your voice into our space.