TIMM ceramics

My work stems from a fascination with everyday objects and the relationship people have with them. Objects we use daily, such as cups, plates, and cabinets, are often taken for granted that we hardly stop to consider how they are made. In my work, I try to break through that self-evidence by shifting the focus to the object itself: the material, the making process, and the hand of the maker.

I am interested in the traces of the making process: small variations, imperfections, and repetition that show that an object was made by hand.
An example of this is a project in which I make the often invisible learning process of the craft visible. For this work, I made two series of thrown porcelain forms: fifty cylinders and twenty bowls. Each object was made with exactly the same amount of porcelain, 400 grams, and all pieces were kept, including the failed forms. The cylinders started with a diameter of ten centimeters; as the series progressed, the walls became thinner and I was able to make the forms taller. In the series of bowls, I specifically tried to create as many identical forms as possible. What seems simple actually requires a great deal of practice, muscle memory, and control over the material. By exhibiting the objects side by side, small differences, failures, and progress become visible. The series thus serves as a visual metaphor for the long-term process of practicing, failing, and growing that is necessary to master a craft.

I work primarily with ceramics. In addition, I have a fascination with woodworking and textiles, disciplines that occasionally find their way into my work. My practice is increasingly shifting towards a more visual approach. Although functionality remains an important starting point, I also use objects as a means to raise questions about use, form, and production.