Miriam Carpenter
Origins, 2015-17

Nerikomi technique. Hand-built, carved and burnished ceramic. The ceramics were made in 2015 – and the container/display was made in 2017. The ceramic “eggs” are displayed on black sand in a wooden bent tray by Carpenter, inspired by the Hakata Magemono tradition in Japan, and arranged in the style of a Zen garden.

Each egg ranges in size from 3.5″ – 1.5″ – 2″ – 1″.

I decided to work directly with the earth, using clay and wedging in deep red native earth pigments that were then rolled into thin slabs, cut, tessellated into patterns and rolled again in a process similar to Nerikomi. I constructed the hollowed egg forms by hand, blew into them to inflate and then carved a small opening in each. The forms symbolize the mystery of being, potentiality and hope. They are contained in a wooden bent tray of ash—inspired by the Hakata Magemono tradition in Japan and arranged as a Zen Garden in a bed of black sand. The purpose of Zen gardens is to imitate the essence of nature and to serve as an aid for meditation. A small rake accompanies the garden as an invitation to engage, calm the senses and balance the body. Becoming peaceful, inspires peace.