Laura Towne, Student Work, Ceramic I

Social Commentary

Not Just A Statistic

Ceramic, Glaze, Wire

Circular form measure 12" diameter

Reflection Statement: 

    The ceramic sculpture entitled "Not Just A Statistic" was inspired by the last 21 years of statistics that illustrate the worsening drug overdose problem in the United States. My intent is to not only demonstrate the alarming increase in overdose death numbers, but to give a reminder that these aren't just numbers, these are people and people who are leaving others behind to mourn them. 

    I began by obtaining the narcotic death overdose statistics for 2000 -2020. I used the statistical curve to create a structure that grossly represent that curve. I build the sculpture to appear as a dilapidated wall, something that is falling apart. Initially, I was going to have a straight wall, but structurally this was unstable, so I curved the base to create more of a castle-like structure. I chose cool colors, blacks and blues, to represent death, but the red of the clay did give a living undercurrent. The beads were made in all sizes to represent the fact that this is not an epidemic of just the rich or poor or young or old, but a problem that is affecting multiple parts of society. The orange bead was used to remind us that statistics can be easy to dismiss until someone we personally now, of love, is affected. 

    I learned about the limitation of clay with larger, heavier work. I had to separate the large piece into three pieces to allow for the sculpture to be moved and fired. This, however, I think only added to the visual impact of the work. I enjoyed translating science and statistics into art. This is an idea that I think can be explored further. 

Response to Reading Excerpt 

All The Light We Cannot See

Shared Humanity

Ceramic, Glaze, Clear Marbles

13" x 8" x 5"

Ceramic, Glaze, Wire, Clear Marble

15" x 8" diameter

Reflection Statement:

    The two related ceramic sculptures entitled Shared Humanity were inspired by an excerpt from the novel All The Light We Cannot See. My intent was to illustrate what I envisioned, in this war novel, as the experiences of "the girl" and of "the boy" while emphasizing their shared humanity. 

    I initially built the brown, blue and white slab structure to visually communicate the openness, height, and airiness of the structure that the young girl was living in. The planes are wavy and meant to show some loss of structure and precariousness, but there are windows and light and there are many connections to the outer world. 

    The darker, metallic appearing structure was meant to convey a sense of heaviness and a slight sense of claustrophobia. The young German boy retreated to a dark cellar as bombs were dropped. There was only one way out. 

    The clear marbles in both. sculptures represent he character's shared light and humanity, a reminder that it is usually governments who start wars, but people who must fight them and suffer the consequences. 

    I was really excited by the idea of using a few pages of a novel to generate ideas for a sculpture. I love to read and enjoyed being able to  transform images of the story into artwork. Initially I was going to make one sculpture, but because of concerns for structural integrity, I decided to make a second structure. This second structure evolved into a different "character" and thus could interact and have a conversation with the first sculpture. This process was exciting, and I hope to use this idea to create a series of related sculptures in the future.