This series of books are based upon friendships that have remained with me since college, lodged within my psyche.

The above story depicts one of the two hardest breakups of my college experience.

The second story relates a secret compartment of feelings that I never shared.

This final story is based upon how I came to major in Ceramics, and bittersweetness.

These pieces are the most aesthetically articulate and detail oriented that have been achieved thus far in this Grad School experience.  The words of the story are written in small text along the edges of the pages to be a treat to the viewer who chooses to look closely enough.  While the images are the cornerstone and main point, the text is there to add context and deepen the story if there is interest.

Combining mixed media has been an answer to so many difficulties.  Using black and white paint on top of stains and layers of spray paint to accentuate the deeply carved lines and shapes of the images.

Each page is backed with leather, both to protect the image when in storage or being shipped, but also to form a shadow image of the opposite page to bring out the echoes of memory.  The protective outer casing of each book ties around the outside with cotton cord and doubles as a display mat.

I consider my life experience to be the subject for my work, the creation source of the form of my work: “anything that doesn’t kill you”— for example, a period of ignominious suffering/boredom—“makes you stronger,” or helps you to see clearer. – Lawson Oyekan

The simple forms and earthy textures of Lawson Oyekan’s work certainly embody this philosophy.  There is a certain uplifting and soothing spirit and “African-ness” to these forms, echoing ancient textures and patterns on storage urns and water jars, as well as fluid form and sheer “roundness”.

Playing off of this form and texture, I have made several round rattle forms to be Raku fired this semester. (photos to come)

Also, using this round form, but drawing from some of the Olmec research, the idea of animal totems- and the fact that yet again in the midst a stressful time, a small owl showed up on my backyard table, and watched me work in my yard- led to this small pit fired owl.