Madison, WI ARTIST STATEMENTArt has always been an integral part of communication for me. With clay and glazes, I tell stories, convey beauty, and reflect wishes on functional pottery or sculptural vessels. My work is mainly with wheel thrown and altered forms using wax resist glazing on high fire porcelain. Figurative and abstract imagery create a dynamic surface on some pieces, while others are quietly glazed in one or two colors.Travels and studies in the southwestern United States and in Mexico, Japan and my own backyard have been major influences on my work and style, while historic traditions of my medium are something I constantly refer to..The vessels are created in a way that encourages the viewer to walk around the piece or rotate it to see the various aspects of the firing.I would like to continue in this work by further exploration of the themes of self-expression and unique vision in finding perspectives of individual people or ordinary characters from different cultures in my community to recognize and portray them in my art. Depicting people and stories on vessels made of clay is a very traditional and permanent artform, lasting thousands of years. The ancient pottery of the Anasazi and the Greeks continue to inspire people today with their imagery of epic characters, creatures, and everyday life. BIOGRAPHYBorn near Chicago and educated at Eastern Illinois University, Joanne Kirkland has lived and worked as a studio potter in Madison, WI, since 1984. Previously, she established studios in Elgin and Chicago, IL, as well as Tacoma, WA, where she exhibited at art fairs, galleries, and wholesale shows.Whether creating utilitarian or sculptural pieces, Kirkland enjoys blending history and art, often traveling to study the pottery of cultures with much older traditions of working with clay.Most of her work is porcelain, made on the wheel and decorated with contrasting glazes and wax resist. She is particularly fascinated by Neolithic art and the use of geometric and abstract patterns as surface decoration on her clay pieces—an approach she refers to as NeoGeo.After happily teaching ceramics part-time for 15 years, Kirkland recently retired and now spends more time in her studio and with her two adored grandchildren.