My Story
For twenty-five years, I’ve been a storyteller for brands in advertising. Now, I’m telling those stories through a different medium: sculpted clay portraits. It’s a bit of a homecoming for me; my journey with clay actually started as a kid in Zimbabwe, where I’d spend hours in the mud playing with my pet warthogs and realizing I could shape the earth into anything I could imagine.
My work is fueled by a deep fascination with people and psychology. My camera is always ready to capture interesting faces—the very portraits that inspire my characters and their imagined backstories. Each of my pieces becomes a silent storyteller in your home, whispering tales of quirky misfortunes, unexpected fixations, and the strangely beautiful magic and messiness we all experience.
Ultimately, my characters reveal the extraordinary within the seemingly ordinary stories of our lives.
Artist Statement: 3 Distinct Directions
Character Sculpture. As a figurative artist working primarily in clay. I sculpt portraits with a heightened version of reality—avoiding caricature to focus on a more elevated truth. Even in my most abstract forms, I capture the unique essence of the character.
My inspiration for these characters stems from a lifelong habit of 'people watching' and an obsession with the narratives we carry with us. The ah-ha for a character is the specific moment where a face and a story collide.
My creative process is a two-way street: I might see a face that immediately sparks an imagined backstory, or I might hear a story that creates a vivid image of the face that belongs to it. By combining how people look with the lives they lead, I create 'memoirs in clay' that celebrate the delicate tension between our internal struggles and our redeeming spirits.
I transform off-the-cuff stories encountered daily—personal experiences, encounters at the grocery store, sensational tabloids, or shared anecdotes—into tangible portraits. Focusing on utilitarian vocations like those of a line cook or taxidermist, these narratives celebrate the triumphs, dreams, and anxieties that shape their worlds. These stories are deeply relatable, inviting you to recognize a piece of yourself within these characters' worlds.
Anatomical Surrealism. This body of work explores the boundaries of the human form through intentional displacement and exaggeration. By playfully challenging biological norms, these ‘remixed’ forms delve into the surreal through uncanny rearrangements of the figure.
In my process, I utilize a variety of clay bodies—from fine white porcelain to rich earth tones and textured, groggy clays—choosing each to enhance the unique qualities of a piece. My surface finishes result from extensive experimentation: I apply layers of kiln-fired glazes, rich inks, matte acrylics, and waxes through painting, sponging, and spraying. This layered approach provides depth and pulls out the emotional core of each work.
Textured Vessels: Earth-Born Art for Modern Spaces. This body of work is a study of the rhythms found in nature—the deep striations of a desert cliff, the weathered grain of petrified wood, and the raw textures of the earth. I create handcrafted, sculptural statements that celebrate the raw energy of the natural world, from one-of-a-kind vessels to functional ceramics and unique objects. I look to elements like creeping moss, cooled lava, and volcanic stone to guide the look and feel of each piece. Find the one. you love: odetoabode.com
