Sara Jensen is currently living in Taos New Mexico inspired by the contrasting climates of theRio Grande river, the tall canyon walls this river creates, to the everlasting mesa, all the way upto the rugged alpine peaks crowning over the town of Taos. She grew up in Carbondale Coloradowhere this relationship to the outdoors was fostered. She graduated from the Rhode IslandSchool of Design with a BFA in ceramics in 2023. She is now connected to a strong communityof wood fired ceramicists making and firing work together. I create to deeply understand my sense of place. I am inspired by geology and the earth'srelationship to water; The patterns of erosion, the way water carves earth and exposes its history.Ceramics has become a way to understand the environments around me through a translation ofthe hands. This reflection manifests through two different lenses. One lens is a larger-scale point of view. IfI could pick up a piece of earth from each place that has struck a chord within me and pile themup. Similar to looking through the layers of a geological strata. Each place becomes a layer ofearth within the sculpture, and places stack up and merge into one. They reflect the way multipleenvironments have cultivated meaning in my life. This body of work makes up my large scalesculptures all tied to specific environments. The other lens is microscopic, understanding my observations and curiosities through slip casting(a ceramic technique using plaster molds). I have collected rocks from the base of a canyon, treebark from the top of a mountain ridge, and the texture off of a canyon wall. I have created alibrary of textures and forms made directly from these environments and elements. The processof mold making allows me to capture details and moments beyond the human touch.Creating a strong connection to the natural systems and patterns of our earth is one of the mostimportant connections to foster. To feel a part of our earth and to deeply understand theenvironments around us. An understanding no matter how subtle or extreme of the way our earthdepends on balance. Creating enforces a practice of curiosity to continuously check in on myrelationship to our earth.