Donna Flanery

Artist Statement

Drawing is the starting point for my cheerful, narrative pottery. I draw people in public places and keep a comic diary of daily events. The images that result from these observations are interpreted from sketchbook to clay and serve as my impressions. This is made clear by the inclusion of anthropomorphized animals and a departure from logical environments. Using techniques from children’s book illustrations and comic books serve to dramatize and essentialize my images. At times, the faces in my drawings are partially obscured to show their mystery.

These pots are an exploration of the tenderness we naturally feel toward people when we are observing them unnoticed. I find it especially pleasurable to observe someone sleeping in public. It is easy to project generously on people’s character when they are so vulnerable and innocent looking I bring the function of the pots into focus with the inclusion of oranges on an orange- juice pitcher or tomatoes on a pasta bowl. Sculptural elements, such as a staircase where a handle should be, increase the playfulness. By presenting my images on pottery forms; boxes, pitchers, plates and cups, the objects claim their natural place in our domestic life, where they wait to be enjoyed.

- Donna Flanery