Paula Murray - Artist Statement

I am committed to the idea that powerful ideas can be made manifest through the work of the hands. I approach my work as an act of meditation- where work is an act of worship, giving form to feelings. By honouring the earth, I want to draw attention to our connection to the cycles of life on this plane of existence. My vocabulary revolves around nature, both on land and in the sea- inner life but also nature as process, as forms in change or transition.

My home environment is the shores of Meech Lake in the Gatineau Park. For extended periods of time, throughout my career I have lived with my family on the water, sailing from Canada to South America. This ongoing relationship with the sea and the elements has intensified my appreciation of the ephemeral nature of our presence.

Two complimentary themes are presented in Convergent Resolutions, Shells and Fractured Vessels. I read these forms as a process in nature connecting to the inner life –the search to make sense of the process of living.

The Shells

The shells are built by directly manipulating the clay, coil after coil, creating the form from the inside out, controlling the growth. I am compelled to explore the beauty of these magnificent forms, the organic process of growth, where layer upon layer is laid, providing shelter, transportation, protection from predators and the elements.

Shells are so common and abundant, yet each and every one is a unique legacy of the life of that mollusc. The diversity of life found in each genus, illustrates the mystery of creation. The magnification of this insignificant life form confronts us to look again, behold its grace, the scars of its journey. This shell is a record of its existence that is fading, eroding as it is pounded by the tidal forces that act upon it, and becoming grains of sand under our feet.

The Fractured Vessels

My approach to the creative process with this series acts as a metaphor for ideas surrounding issues of

control and our relationship to the great mysteries of life. I work with the very nature of porcelain, how it warps and cracks reacting to the stress of incorporating fibreglass into the clay, how it responds to the character of the flame in my salt kiln. I see stress as a catalyst, spurring on life's unfolding journey. I position myself as a player in the orchestra, conscious of my role and the skill required to create beauty out of chaos. By working with the forces at work on, and inherent in the materials, I am able to create work that could not be achieved any other way. These works speak of richness that is buried within- imparting a sense of timelessness. The erosion and movement of the land, be it by tremors or wind or rain, is carving it away to reveal its vulnerability and strength, its beauty and resilience.