Getting Lost in the woods was a formative part of my childhood. Simply wandering through territories unknown laid the framework for how I learn and discover. Similarly, Dendros is the culmination of many new techniques that i have yet to explore. Stating with consistent wheel throwing, I wanted to gain a deeper understanding of the thrown form. Not only did I learn how to throw better, But also learned why mugs have certain formal aspects. The speckled clay body was a departure from the stoneware i normally work with because of how different it reacted to force. I needed to change how I throw in order to be successful. The mocha diffusion was an exploration in slip chemistry and the delicate balance of pH in clay. Without going into too much detail, the mocha diffusion works by applying an alkaline slip to a ware and then dripping on an acidic colorant mixture. Working and learning through all these challenges made it feel like i was getting lost in the woods again.
