The political divide in America between the left and right exists in part because people in rural communities of the United States feel as if they have been left behind, particularly the South and the Midwest. Disregarded by the rest of the country and mainstream politics, people in these communities are often forgotten by the political Left and the Right.
The large sculptural pieces in this body of work are based on some of the most gerrymandered districts in the United States throughout history. The ceramic pieces are finished in a sea-foam lichen glaze and natural clay slips dug from the ground in Arkansas. At first glance the sculptures present as frivolous amorphic shapes. It is only on further inspection that they are revealed to be absurdly drawn real voting districts in the United States, made to disenfranchise voters.
The Farm Vases are made using simple waste materials found on North Carolina farms. Using clay, horse hair, feathers, and raw sugar, these materials are carefully burned directly onto the work at 1800 degrees Fahrenheit. What results are valuable objects made entirely of discarded materials from rural southern farms.
