Terry Hildebrand

I make ceramic work out of porcelain and stoneware, with a focus drinking vessels. I fire the pieces in a soda, salt or a wood kiln to give them a delicate flashing of reds, oranges, blues and greens. The earthy tones reflect the earthen qualities of clay. I present my work in groupings, often on wooden or ceramic trays. Good craftsmanship, ergonomics, and visual balance are important in my work. The main purpose of my utilitarian ceramic work is undeniably its function. The ritual of its use becomes a central experience. I create playful sets that entice the users to interact with each other and the tray. The sharing of food, drink, fellowship, and play lie at the heart of our existence and the conscious ritual and enjoyment of these are greatly enhanced by the experience of the visual and tactile senses that the ceramic wares address. I hope that my work serves also as an analogy for social interactions and choices that consumers make. The user has to be careful and considerate with the placement of a cup, an opposition to the mass-produced, disposable plastic and paper cups. It brings back the conscious action of drinking and using a vessel. My work creates a critical distance to the consumerist way of life in the user by requiring conscious considerations of the patterns, the forms and the placements of individual pieces.