Ceramics and geology are deeply interconnected, reflecting how humans relate their objects to nature. The long geological processes of rock formation reflect themselves in ceramic firing, where ceramic glazes are shaped just like rocks in high temperatures in a kiln. While Earth’s layers record history, ceramics serve as markers of human presence, acting as archaeological evidence. My work during the residency at the National Sculpture Factory explored this relationship and material cycles, examining both natural and urban contexts. I collected rocks typical of the geology of Cork that I used in ceramic glaze production that were crushed and powdered, applied to ceramic tiles and fired to high temperatures in an electric kiln. For the final artwork I made a composition of 96 tiles that shows the variety of material possibilities and depicts a geological map of the Cork area.

The time I spent in Cork encouraged me to recognize the value of landscape and geology, while uncovering their story and understanding their place within deep time. By acknowledging geological processes that stretch far beyond our human existence, I approached the use of the foraged materials not as something to control but as something to collaborate with, while creating an artwork that tells a story about circularity and time.