Ceramics and “B”

A decorative ceramic plate with a blue and green glazed finish and small blue holes forming a spiral pattern in the center.
Black square cushion with a shiny, smooth surface.

For this Project, I chose to focus on what my family means to me and what it means to be part of a family.

I asked myself, “Who are my family members, really?”

I began questioning how to reflect personality and life in a ceramic piece. I was inspired by how ceramic work reflects the personality of its creator, which led me to want to get to know the people around me more deeply.

I started to analyze form, color, texture, and weight as personality traits, thinking about the people I was creating for and building a survey of questions to help me create a personal piece for each individual. I chose the drape and slab-building method because I felt it allowed for human irregularities, such as the prints and warps of a hand, woman-made, like all the people I love, built from scratch and perfected in the heat of a mother’s love.

I knew this project would finally be one I could be proud of, and I feel nothing less than amazed now.

Photo of a mood board with various images, candles, and pottery on a table, with a collage background and a white column on the right.
A chart titled 'Individual Mood Boards' with six sections, each containing a collage of images and a colored bar. The sections are labeled with different names, colors, and themes, including images of food, nature, people, and abstract designs.
Document titled 'Material Tests & Glaze Research' with text explaining glaze research process and various color samples of glaze textures and finishes arranged in rows.

Project Brief

I chose to make individual dishes as well as cups for seven people I love, including myself. I wanted to focus on the personification of the plates, as well as what my loved ones would describe their favorite foods as reminding them of. I asked my family questions such as, “What is your favorite meal?” and “What is your favorite memory associated with that meal?” to better understand their reasoning and to create a more personal, intimate piece of dishware for each person.

Through this process, I learned their favorite colors, smells, and tastes. I wanted the plates to capture everything that they love and who they are, and I found that the project helped me better understand the people I grew up with, not just as mother, brother, or father, but as individuals, as well as their partners.

Since my project catered to seven people, I knew I had to make individual mood boards for each person, as mood boards help me embody the identity of a project.

After asking everyone questions about their favorite meals and how they would characterize those meals, I created seven mood boards, one for each person, incorporating the senses of touch, smell, and feeling, as well as aesthetics and favorite colors.

I named this project “B,” after my mom Beatriz. She has taught me everything I know, and with her love, I pour myself into everything I do as much as she does to me. The women that continues to wow me to no end, my biggest idol and inspiration, the dedication and commitment I put into this is only the tiniest glimpse into the person she is.

I am proud of what I have accomplished throughout this project. It has shown me the privilege I have to be in a position to create and have access to so much material. If I were to change anything, it would be the amount of time dedicated to each project, but I can now continue to work on that for the rest of my life. My mom won't stop asking me to make her gifts, and having the knowledge of creation feels incredible. Thank You!