Lori Roderick
I find much joy and inspiration while hiking along rivers in my hometown of Rock Island, Illinois, or in whatever woodlands, hills or prairies I find myself. My most recent vessels were created to reflect the many moods and the passing seasons of the last two years. I use the very simple hand building techniques of pinching and coiling. Coils of terracotta are added to each other, building a hollow piece from the bottom up. During and after the building process, they are paddled, carved or otherwise manipulated by hand until they reach their final shape and surface. Some of the pieces share whimsical abstract imagery that’s not quite flora or fauna. Finally, they are glazed and fired several times and sometimes finished with a metallic wash.
I received a Bachelor of Arts in English and Art from Augustana College and a Masters of Fine Arts in ceramics and sculpture from the University of Iowa and exhibit work mainly in the Midwest.