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T H E T R A D I T I O N A L D I S P L A Y
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S E C O N D P L A C E
A P A C I F I C T R E E F R O G ' S
P O N D E R I N G S O N L I F E Traditional Glazed MARY J. LAI
SANSOKUU ARTS Oregon, USA 2025 4.5 x 4.85 x 3.75 inches Deschutes White Stoneware engobed with Crystal Springs Porcelain Slip Slab Built, Coil Work in Rim, Hand Carved Feet and Sculptures Fired to Cone 10 "This was built with cut slabs, assembled with slip. The animal sculptures were hand sculpted & added. Due to dramatic temperature swings & limited time to do work, hairline cracks were inevitable. However they do not affect function & are a reminder that nothing is perfect. If there is one lesson I have learned in pottery is to not ruminate in our mistakes & always move forward.
For this pot I painted native floral motifs between dramatic panels featuring the life cycle of a Pacific Tree Frog. The first panel depicts an Oregon Chub w/ frog eggs. Then a tadpole keepings its distance from a Water Scorpion. Next is the transitory stage between tadpole & frog. Ironically the larvae of the dragonfly prey on tadpoles. Will the frog one day prey on dragonflies? Lastly we have the final form of the frog, contemplating a bitter-tasting ladybug. Does the frog have the wisdom to idly observe? Or is he young & hungry? The pot is rife with tension." - Mary J. Lai |
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A B O U T M A R Y J . L A I
"After decades of traditional schooling, work and freelance in two-dimensional art, I found myself very burnt out. While I was in the grad program in Animation at UCLA I re-discovered the joy of working in clay. It was in clay that I learned to let go of darlings and to always move onto the next thing, because the kiln gods don't care how much time you spent on something only for it to blow up or turn out awful in the final firing. It was in clay that all the internal critics that haunted me over the years were finally quiet. It was in clay that I found joy in creating not for others, but for myself again. Clay is the most humbling medium to me; it can be functional, it can be high art. It can be both, as it is in the bonsai world. This cascade pot is my play on the most traditional porcelain works, with my North American flare in subject matter. All of the creatures and flora depicted are native (and non-native) to Oregon. While some see whimsy, I see unfolding drama." - Mary
Mary J. Lai is a Taiwanese American who spent much of her life in California before settling down in Oregon. She has a certification in science illustration in addition to a BA in Art & MFA in Animation, and an extracurricular education in ceramic art and sculpture during her undergraduate studies at UCSC, and graduate work at UCLA. Thereafter she continued her clay studies, including volunteering with studio operations, at local community colleges in West Los Angeles with exceptional ceramic departments. Her current work in sometsuke (blue pigment aka gosu painting) explores the fine balance between striking simplicity and detailed nuance. She loves birds, folklore, & fauna and flora of all types (especially crabs and goldfish). In addition to caring for their 5 and 2 year old, she manages the logistics and backend of Tokutake Bonsai & Sansokuu Arts, amongst other clay endeavors in the home pottery studio she shares with her spouse, Nao. Follow Mary J. Lai on these platforms: Instagram: www.instagram.com/sansokuuarts/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/sansokuuarts Website: www.sansokuuarts.com Linktree: linktr.ee/Sansokuu |
T H A N K Y O U T O O U R S P O N S O R S
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D I S C O V E R P O T T E R S I S P R O U D T O S P O N S O R T H E 2 0 2 5 N O R T H A M E R I C A N B O N S A I P O T T E R Y C O M P E T I T I O N
