EVOLVING THE VESSEL.

I make something new of what the vessel has to offer, taking the utilitarian into the sculptural. I am blurring the lines of the interior and exterior of vessels. The balance of negative and positive space created through slicing vessels turns them into their own beings. Once cut, the vessels take on their own personality. The surface of the vessel then becomes a place to explore emotions. Taking on tenants of the abstract expressionism movement and traditional Korean decorating techniques, I use that surface to explore my complex feelings about connection and community. 

BIO

Rebekah Sweda is a contemporary ceramicist in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They work to reveal images that come from two dimensional planes intersecting with three dimensional space through vessels. Using the vessel as a base, the interior and exterior merge with a slice to create sculpture. They received a dual degree in Chemistry and Art from Calvin University and went on to receive an MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art.