"My work is made in an effort to strike a chord with the viewer that conveys a fragile and fleeting existence. The Raku process is used to accentuate the intersecting fragility of life, passionate connections, and the pain of betrayal, using the matrix of the objects to allude to these concepts. Using an interest in mathematics, I create patterns and explore the relationships between those patterns as well as the effect of the color and texture of the glaze on those patterns to elicit emotional responses. Each piece created is an attempt at a reflection of who I am as a person and as an artist at the moment my hands touch the clay and the continues through the glazing and firing processes. In this reflection, my hope is that a viewer can find a connection to their own experiences on this journey of life. In everyday life we journey different paths, following passions and making decisions that conflict with emotional responses. The web of paths interconnect and fit together to create patterns in our life, helping to lead us toward the next challenging path. The work I endeavour to create is in an effort to map those choices, pinpointing and illuminating the fractures and fragility of the emotional bonds that can bring meaningful connection… bonds that can be strengthened or destroyed at any moment." - Eric Stearns