Artist Statement

​I am interested in objects that offer an opportunity to make a pause in our fast paced lives as we enjoy the rituals of eating, drinking and entertaining. These rituals create a connecting point between cultures, bring us closer together and allow us, individually, to live the present moment as we enjoy our coffee, share a fresh-out-of-the-oven cake or prepare a special Thanksgiving feast.

 The simple lines of my pieces provide a canvas where the surface decoration process happens. My organic designs invite the viewers to explore the three dimensional qualities of the pieces as their eyes move around the form, into the interior, and underneath. Carving, piercing, leaf decoration, layering and resists are some of the techniques I've been exploring in this search for harmony between form and surface.

I'm inspired by nature and its patterns and drawn to its organic character and luxurious abundance and diversity. The vegetation of Brazil, my home country, is a constant source of inspiration. I am also intrigued by symmetries, spirals, fractals and tessellations. I find repetition a soothing path that invites the viewer to slow down and wander through its intricacies while enjoying the comfort of a warm cup of tea or the smoothness of a hand pulled handle.

My goal as a maker and what draws me to the studio is the thought of bringing moments of comfort and joy to people’s everyday life.

​“Centering is a quieting of motion without loss of vitality. It is a vibrant containment. Dynamic Centering is never accomplished through sheer will and force. If we are off center, we virtually  feel lopsided and eccentric; we cannot work unless the clay, in finding its center, centers us .”

— Kenneth R. Beittel