My art

The mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work if it isn’t open.
—Frank Zappa

Clay. I’ve always loved it. I’m able to think with its tactile quality and feel in my hands, knowing I can mold it into any shape. This most primal element of the earth grounds me, and often leads me where I’m going with the piece of art. Working with clay keeps my mind and creativity open and expanding.

My art has evolved from sculptures with repetitive, patterns and textures to large vessel forms covered with drawings. These hand-built asymmetrical vessels with their evocative, quirky characters are impulsive and unstructured. My designs are intuitive, my creatures are devilish, and the forms shape themselves. I’m not particularly comfortable with drawing, and when I draw on my pottery I allow myself to be vulnerable, and free myself from constraints and judgement. I tap into a part of my mind that otherwise is hindered by formality, and my creatures speak to me and come to life.

There seems to be no dividing line between the clay, my imagination and the vessels. The forms, whether functional or decorative, serve as a blank canvas for my whimsy and colors I love to use.

Fantasy can serve as a release of worry and tension in a troubled, uncertain world. I hope that my quirky creations make you smile, and help you take life a little less seriously.

Read “Meet Trailblazer Lori Dresner” appearing in Voyage Denver magazine.