“The work comes as a byproduct of a moment of being taken out of the stream of duration in which all conscious beings are living.”
-Antony Gormley, 2010

My body feels a connection to the materiality of clay. I make work that is informed by this relationship. The forms are created in the moment, using my body. I start with a slab of clay and perform a preconceived action, corresponding to/building off of a small selection from Richard Serra’s verb list, a compilation of words that describe forces, which can be enacted by the artist while creating three-dimensional work. They since have brought about an entire artistic language and methodology used to approaching art making. I have adapted a verb list of my own, incorporating some of Serra’s originals, while engaging my body more directly. In one of the series I felt it necessary to combine two words to make one moment. These actions manifest in my work by draping it over a portion of my body or lifting and contorting it to create the piece. After days of preparation, the process takes only a moment.

The method I use to apply the textural component to the works also engages my body. I pick up an object and slam it down onto the slab, leaving the pattern imprinted in the clay. The finishing process (glazing and firing) has developed similarly. I glaze with a brush, using it as a tool that aids me to better feel the textural component during application. The subtle variations obtained due to this method, allow me to exaggerate the object’s tactile qualities, giving the piece the potential to engage the viewer with multiple senses (sight and touch). The actions performed are preserved instances in time when an intuitive interaction occurred between the clay and my body, a moment of embodiment.

Flynn Grinnan