My concentration is inspired by the contrast between the outer and inner layers of a person. Looks can often be deceiving, and I wanted to emphasize that the exterior of someone may not be who they truly are inside. While the outside may portray being rough or plain, it is the inside that makes someone who they are. Using a variety of forms and glazes, I wanted to focus on making an outer layer and an inner layer for all of my pieces, often contrasting them, showing that beauty comes from within.

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As my thought process began, I wanted to emphasize the idea of inner versus outer layers and the beauty that comes from within. I created a functional vessel with a layer peeling back on the outside to reveal color (1). Next I created two sculptures layered within each other, but added a twisting movement (2). The inner form reminded me of a flower, so I decided to play with this idea and create one (3), as flowers are often seen as a symbol of beauty. I then created a form that can be perceived differently from different angles (4). With a combination the flowers, as well as deceived perception, I began to play with movement (5) and negative space. This gave me the idea of creating cage-like forms (6-9), and being able to see the colorful flowers peeking out from inside, contrasting to the plain outer layer. The inner piece is revealed to portray how beauty can emerge from within (10). Lastly,I revisited my first idea with the peeling of the outer layer, but incorporated the flower theme to show the evolution of beauty emerging from within (11-12). Using a combination of terracotta and porcelain, as well as negative space, I faced challenges and had to alter some of my ideas. However, in the end these mediums helped me best portray my theme.