The Poetry of Decay: Exploring Emptiness, Time, and Transformation in Ceramic Art

Introduction: The Silence of the Forgotten

There is a quiet melancholy in objects that are empty and breaking down. Once being purposeful now lay barren, weathered by time, at the mercy of the ebb and flow of the tide.   Along the shores seashells rest in waiting. These fragile forms once housed life, offering protection, a defence against the elements. Now, abandoned, they slowly dissolve into sand, their past existence fading into the essence of nothingness

                    The Spiral of Time: A Symbol of Infinity

One of the most captivating aspects of shells is their spiral shape. This natural geometry speaks of infinity, symbolising the journey inward towards enlightenment and outward towards infinite expansion.  A shell, shows the passage of time, creation, decay and transformation, just like clay which evolves through fire and process, bearing traces of it's own metamorphosis

A Treasure from the Sea: The Joy of Collecting

Years ago, I experienced the sheer joy of collecting shells in an unforgettable way. A dredger was spraying sand onto a beach, unearthing thousands of hidden shells. Overwhelmed by excitement, I filled four shopping bags, gathering what I saw as treasures from the sea. At the time, I lived in the UK and had to bring them back from Spain. Luckily, airline baggage restrictions were more forgiving then, allowing me to stow my salty, sea-scented collection under my seat. The smell of rotting marine life filled the cabin, but I didn’t care. Even now, those shells bring me joy whenever I handle them

Today, my relationship with shells has changed. I no longer take them from their natural habitat. Instead, I sketch, photograph, and observe them, respecting their place in the ecosystem. This shift mirrors my approach to ceramics—it’s no longer about taking or replicating but about interpreting and transforming

From Shell to Clay :Recreating Emptiness  

Inspired by the form ,texture and colour of shells, their weathered surfaces, their fragile edges and the scars left behind, my aim to capture the essence of age and fragility-the forgotten, by translating those emotions into clay through

Through tearing rough edges, creating cracks and chips that mirror erosion .

Subtle glaze decoration or none at all that echo how nature strips colour over time.

Fragile, uneven textures that suggest something on the brink of disappearing.

Exploring firing techniques like raku, pit and wood firing, along with techniques like stretching, tearing and cutting, and experimenting with layered glazing to evoke a sense of time-worn beauty, as if the pieces had been discovered rather than created

The Beauty of Impermanence

There is emotion in things that fade, objects left behind, stories that are incomplete. A shell, an abandoned house, a broken pot—all whisper of what once was and what will never be again. Yet, in their imperfection, there is beauty. They invite reflection. They remind us of time, loss, and the quiet dignity of objects that no longer serve a purpose yet still exist

Final Thoughts: Finding Meaning in the Forgotten

Through ceramics, I try to capture the essence of things left behind. Objects carrying traces of their past,  yet existing in a new state.  Not forgotten but transformed, and just like the shells I collect, through my work, I hope achieve a meditation on time, transformation and the silent reverence of decay