Andrea Keim was recently an Artist in Residence at the Ceramics Center in Cedar Rapids, IA.  She completed her BFA, concentration in Ceramics and Art Education minor at Alfred University in 2013. In between the two she taught at various public and private schools.

 

 

Artist Statement Excerpt:

 

My pieces are reflections of my personality. May that be an image distilling a story or experience, softly suggestive folds and pinches that become partially obscured by glaze, or the uncertain flow of a glaze drip on the side of a pot. These elements represent parts of my daily life and how I respond to situations.

 

None of my pieces are perfect, everything is flawed in some manner but the works are still whole.  These flaws are what I find the most attractive; it’s almost a compulsion for me to alter a form, to take it slightly out of the round. The softness in rims, throwing marks and shape give testament to the hand that created the work. These qualities of the handmade are comforting.  They invite the user to touch the piece, to talk about it, to use it. Through these interactions a connection to the maker is established. This intensely personal connection brings the pieces full circle; the lives of the user and of the maker become entwined for a moment, and the user understands fragments of the maker’s personality.

 

 

Please contact Andrea for her full Artist Statement