Alcohol has been used for medicinal and religious as well as secular purposes throughout history. It has contributed to the development of social rules, rites and in that regard, played a significant role in the development of culture and society. Today we continue to use intoxicants as a vehicle to form bonds with one another through personal consumption or by forming alliances with others against it. These forms explore the underlying connections we make with one another, ourselves, and objects using intoxicating substances as a catalyst.
Function is an integral part of the work because it implies the presence of a user. In utilizing functional forms such as cups paired with elements alluding to the body, I show the expressive potential of inanimate objects. For example, hands are often used as a communication device as a way to perceive varying degrees of acceptance and rejection through gestures that we relate to and interpret. In ‘Pinky Promise’ two champagne flutes stand on separate pedestals connected by a rocking base. Perhaps just as important as the objects are the elaborate pedestals that frame them because the distance specified by these supporting structures dictates the meaning between elements that are both separated as well as connected. Dimensional polka dot embellishments and patterns add to the playfulness of the forms, balancing the more serious undertones. The ornate pedestals are stand-ins for the weight given to a circumstance such as making a promise. When a promise is made, the intentions carry weight, though the agreement made during the interaction is merely a social construct. Trust, like a ceramic object, can be broken as well as repaired, though the result will be altered from the original.