With a background in Fine Art, my work evolved into digging for clay in my local landscape. This literally unearthed a whole new world. Clay is a powerful and alchemical material which holds the ability to connect humans through the ancient and the geological. Manipulating local clay enabled me to transcend trauma by travelling through place and time using imagination and research to explore the Bell Beaker and Neolithic Bronze Aged burial urns. Merging the shapes from these two cultures reimagined the pot by creating asymmetrical vessels. This contributes to contemporary conversations about the history and evolution of pottery.
I approach hand building as one would approach drawing. Because my vessels are thin and delicate, I make with immediacy before the clay dries. This allows an organic unfolding and the makers mark to be visible. Found clay is often incorporated into some aspect of the making.
The relationship between drawing and making is integral to my practice. The marks on my vessels and 2D shadows are inspired by the geometric patterns on Beaker pots and developed through digital drawings.
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Crafts 
Xingyue Zhao | Crafts
