LISA BATTLE
Sanna, Ceramic. Handbuilt from stoneware clay, sprayed glaze, wood fired to cone 10 in Noborigama kiln. 30” h x 15” w x 11”d. 2018.
Carbon Flame. Ceramic. Handbuilt from stoneware clay, sprayed glaze, salt/soda fired to cone 10 in Noborigama wood kiln. 19” h x 8” w x 9” d. 2016.
Essence II, Ceramic. Handbuilt from stoneware clay, sprayed glaze, wood fired to cone 10 in Noborigama kiln. 22” h x 20”w x 8”d. 2018.
Affinity, Ceramic. Handbuilt from stoneware clay, sprayed glaze, wood fired to cone 10 in Noborigama kiln. 24” h x 16”w x 15” d. 2017.
Flow (6-part wall piece). Ceramic. Handbuilt from stoneware clay, sprayed glaze, wood fired to cone 10 in Noborigama kiln. 54” h x 17” w x 3.5” d. 2018.
ARTIST STATEMENT
My hand-built sculptures explore organic form, line and an undulating movement that is reminiscent of the sensual curvilinear grace of natural objects and landscapes.
I am inspired by the patterns created by the forces of nature, found in walks along the seashore observing shifting sand patterns created by winds and receding waves; in my travels through the American southwest among desert cliffs, canyons and formations of weathered rock eroded by wind and water; and in the shapes of plants and the human body. I also have a life-long love of dance, and often find that my work evokes the gestures and arching movements of a dancer. In my exploration of form, I pare down these natural shapes to their essence, accentuating smooth clean lines to achieve simplicity and elegance. Sometimes I feel that I am capturing a close-up, intimate view of something larger. The resulting forms evoke aspects of the natural world without specifically representing them, leading to a sense of ambiguity that I find is central to human experience.
I love the sensory experience of working with clay, and the expressive possibilities created through this malleable material. The forces of nature are also essential to the creation of my work, as my sculptures are exposed to the transformative powers of wind and fire in the wood kiln. The wood firing process leads to surfaces that have depth and subtle variations of texture and color, imparted by the movement of wind and fire through the kiln. The result is both a visual and tactile experience in which the surface is inherently integrated with the form.