Ignis: The materiality of the self

We all carry a fire
It keeps us warm, it brightens our lives
Our inner child.
Play, fun. No rules, no expectations
Creative, present.

All that I once sacrificed. Achieving, becoming, arriving ruled my life.
Ignis is my pathway to a balanced existence.

Clay. The soil we stand on, we come from. It requires patience, steadiness, a slow pace.
It needs care, attentiveness to be shaped, to prevent ruin. My adult, my parent.

Plaster, on the other hand, is the child.
Spontaneous, quick.
One minute liquid, the next hard like a stone. Be here or it is gone.

Bringing these two materials and the different qualities they have and foster together, has allowed me to be more me, to get closer to a sense of wholeness. Letting that fire burn, shine, while remaining grounded, nurtured.

A balance resulting from the combination of materials I had once been told should not be combined. I transcended that conflict to find the joy and peace I had lacked.

This collection was inspired by moments of fun at Morley College - where I go to play. You can explore my first experiments with plaster, Geysers and Goddesses, here. The explorations continue.