Expressing Emotion In Art

Art can touch you on an emotional level.  A painter can paint a picture that makes the viewer look at the world in a new way.  A writer can express him or herself in a way that makes the reader feel an range of emotions.  Musician give us songs that make us happy, sad, in love, ... the list goes on and on. In the clay community we see this in sculpture much more than in pottery.  Is it that we don't want to feel these emotions while drinking our morning coffee?  Honestly, I'm all about awareness of social injustice but I'm not sure I'd want a salad bowl that reminds people to stop violence against women.  I don't know, maybe that would actually work well in raising awareness.

Carved Covered Casserole

The past week and a half have been very sad for me.  My aunt died, a neighbor was murdered, we found a nest of baby bunnies but they died also.  It's been hard.  As an artist I feel compelled to express my emotions through my art but somehow I don't think that throwing a lovely casserole dish will do that.  I know that getting my hands in the clay and finding that zen of creating will help me feel better but sometimes it feels like my pots are speaking in a different voice than I am.  Do you express your emotions through art?  How?

Have you checked out the happy potters at Mudcolony yet?

Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery by Lori Buff