M A R Y   O ' M A L L E Y

During a four-week residency at the Hambidge Center in northern Georgia, I recognized a familiar theme I had been recently exploring with in the temperate rainforest which surrounded me- natural elements enveloping structures. Moss, fungi, lichen, and mold prevailed in the perpetually humid environment of the Black Forest, making homes in the cracks of the stone steps leading up to my studio, on the sides of every tree, and even the suitcases and books I had brought with me.

 

I chose to explore a similar theme to my previous work, the Bottom Feeders, through wares inspired by the aesthetics of mid century interiors and the arts and crafts movement (both attempting to bring the outdoors into interior living spaces), and in sculpted depictions of the moss and fungi surrounding me. The exterior of the mushroom pitcher is unglazed as a reflection of the quiet stillness of the forest I temporarily inhabited. The unglazed surface also leaves the material somewhat porous and I’m hoping some mold might grow on it.