Andrew Trimby

Using an intuitive approach to making, earthy terracotta clay and only my hands as tools, I sculpt forms based on the vessel that spontaneously evolve via correspondence between the hand and the material agency of clay. An emphasis on hand marks is central to this making process, as evidence of the truly handmade, a record of touch working sympathetically with clays unique natural plastic material properties and reflecting my own place in nature. Treatment of the surface with clay slips, pigments and glazes highlight fingerprints and the hand mark texture. Work is fired to high earthenware temperatures to regain terracottas deep red earth tones.

Through the work I explore societies detachment from a deeper embodied connection with the material world caused by the dominance of vision. A disregard of our sensory interaction has resulted in valuing head over hand, in mental health issues and a lack of sensibility towards the needs of our environment. The work serves as a reminder of the importance of our analogue, full embodied sensory connection to the world, in providing points of reflection and evoking a sense of touch.