Joey Sheehan
Marshall, NC | Exhibiting Since 2010
Clay is my passion. Functional pottery creates a relationship between artist, object, and user unlike any other medium. I am intrigued and motivated by the idea of an art form used so intimately in everyday life. I make pots of purpose: mugs for steeping tea, platters for the perfect salmon filet, cereal bowls, sundae cups, and centerpiece vases. I make pots for the enjoyment of working alone at the wheel, the thrill of every firing, and the anticipation of every kiln opening. I make pots to express myself. My experience, emotions, and surrounding are reflected in my shapes and surface. The drifting and melting of snow and ice on a remote mountain-top, the smooth curves of the figure, and the erratic dance of a crowded bar are all seen at play in my work. Life and nature are beautiful, inspiring, and unpredictable, and I strive to achieve similar qualities in my pots. With form, rhythmic slip and intense glazing I pursue the relationship between an uncontrollable world and the people and objects influenced by it. Using fluid and undisciplined slips and glazes, my pots are what I define as “controlled chaos”. The work is intended to enhance the daily life of the user with functional beauty, but also to inspire thought about objects and lives in a world that may or may not be spiraling out of control.