Portals pieces that were included in the recent Contemporary Northwest Juried Exhibition at the Bellevue Art Museum Northwest Ceramic show in Seattle, Wa.
These pieces are approximately 28″ h x 16″ x 7″
They are terrecotta clay , handbuilt with slipcast additions, slips, underglazes, glazes and gold leaf.

The foundation of my work is the ceramic vessel in all its many incarnations as container. I have a strong interest in natural forms, cultural artifacts and personal mementos. I am drawn to ornament, embellishment, pattern, and texture. For the last ten years the vessel forms in my ceramic work have slowly been evolving into botanically inspired hybrid sculptural forms. In working on these pieces I have become more involved with the details, the close ups, the abstract, the peering into. My interest in detail, layers and encrustations has been heightened by repeated travels to India and China .I am fascinated by the complexity, diversity, beauty and danger of the natural world and this leads to thoughts about growth, nourishment, attraction, and sexuality .The works in this exhibition are the beginning of a series entitled “Portals”. This work is based on cut-away section drawings and photographs of natural forms. Built into these hybrids are some of the artifacts and mementos that form my DNA.

These pieces are all handbuilt terracotta with press-molded , thrown and slipcast additions. Surface treatments include slips, underglazes , glazes, and lusters.http://www.carolgouthro.com/