Standing at Water's Edge
Standing at water’s edge…
Does it evoke the image of waves gently caressing the
shore, sun glittering on the surface, and rhythmical sounds
of the ocean breathing in and out?
Or dark and deep angry waters powerfully crashing onto
the shore with relentless energy and thunderous sounds,
goaded by the wind?
Do you ever think of it as the border of the realm we
belong to and the one we can only visit for a short time.
Fascinating, Intriguing, Inviting?
I am drawn to the big bodies of water, as many of us
are. I like standing at the water’s edge, listening to the
rhythmical breathing of the waves. I can spend hours
pondering and meditating, acutely aware of the vastness
of the ocean and another world hiding under the
surface. World within world. Divided or connected by the
membrane separating water from air. Sometimes, the
connection I feel is so deep that I am acutely aware of the
origin of life. My cells used to belong to the ocean. I can
feel the tides in my body. I belong.
It is an immersive, intense and short lived experience.
I try to capture and communicate that experience through
the objects I make. I don’t have words for those thoughts,
so I am exploring them through making the objects that
speak of them, that allow me to glimpse the holistic nature
of our universe and our being in it.
I look at many natural forms and learn from them.
Planktons, pollens, microscopic images of insects and
butterfly eggs.....
There is such diversity, rhythm and playfulness of form in
those tiny objects, but what intrigues me the most is the
abundance of the little individual variations, complexity of
the form and their beauty.
To me, those forms symbolize life. Life as significant as
mine. Fragile and strong. Unique and universal.
Nature, of course, never makes straight lines or perfectly
symmetrical curves. It grows forms in the seemingly
spontaneous and playful, yet ordered and rhythmic way. I
try to observe closely and grasp the essence of each form
in order to create the visual symbols, language without
words that will talk about life. Not human life. Universal life.
Using clay to express my ideas is a two way process. The
choice of the material and techniques defines the forms I
can make, and is defined by my ability to manipulate and
understand the material I use. I love the feel, the smell,
and the idea of using a natural, earthy, ancient material to
explore and express thoughts. It is extremely pliable and
responsive to the slightest touch, and at the same time
often incapable of holding its own weight and very fragile
when dry.
I use all the traditional forming techniques in making my
work: handbuilding, press moulding, wheel throwing and
slip casting; and many innovative, atypical ones. I like to
think of my practice as a creative one, a synthesis that does
not fit neatly into the preconceived boxes of art, craft and
design, but moves freely across the fields.
“Everyone agrees that making art involves self-expression.
However, I suggest that genuine creativity involves much
more. It involves the artist immersing in the art form,
which then invites the audience into that immersive space.
Creativity reaches for connection.”*
Andrea Vinkovic
*Dr. Anne Paris: Standing at Water’s Edge: Moving Past Fear, Blocks,
and Pitfalls to Discover the Power of Creative Immersion, New World
Library, June 1, 2008
