I approach my practice through the immediacy of touching clay, manipulating it to tell a story. Nature is my muse for these “drawings” in clay. The pinching, folding and tearing of the medium guides me in creating an environment of texture and color. Each sculpture is a new world for me because it is controlled by me and there is safety in this. But am I really in control? The ceramic material I work with is fragile and subjected to extreme heat. It does not always yield to my intentions -- just like in nature, where we are sometimes helpless, vulnerable to its power. And although my work is inspired by the beauty and resilience of nature, it is my intention to draw attention to what we actually do to our world. For we all take advantage and are sometimes indifferent to our actions. My work, whether an installation of multiple parts or a single sculpture, entices us to reflect on our legacy both to our environment and to one another.
Kristen Morsches is a Resident Artist and Instructor at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, Virginia. She has a BFA from VCU and a MFA from IUPUI - Herron School of Art and Design.
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