Lisa Maher
Artist Statement
With all the possible vehicles that could interest a ceramic artist, why shoes? Curiously, shoes are not just ordinary objects, they are among the most complicated and fascinating ways of expressing oneself. Shoes communicate, call up memories, awaken emotions, evoke nostalgia and have always represented erotica.
For many years, the coexistence of opposites has influenced my work, and ceramic shoes are a way of exploring that phenomenon--the soft image of leather and fabric and the hardness of clay and glazes. Shoes are playful, fanciful and fantastic. I can transform realistic versions of them into dreamlike creations by using a rich variety of forms and surfaces.
Creating similarly playful images on utilitarian pieces gives me a special pleasure, not simply as a break from my sculptural work, but as a chance to surprise viewers of these objects with unexpected images. Imagine encountering the image of a spider or a worm inside a cup - yet the reaction is not revulsion but laughter. Again, my way is to incorporate opposites - work that is serviceable and silly, practical and joyful, everyday and memorable.