Meredy Baldridge

How could a clay sculpture be anything other than an expression of nature, culture, and the spirit? The elemental world is held within each, as it transforms from wet clay to fired object. Earth, water, fire and air, coming together in an expression of celestial wonder. If one so chooses to look at it that way.

A natural curiosity and an openness to experimentation, influences my exploration of various clay bodies, firing temperatures, glazes, surface treatments and hand building techniques. The visual language of my work explores ideas of transformation, shape shifting, other realms and dimensions, linear movement, abstraction, nature, science, animals, narrative and all the feelings of being alive. 

It is near impossible not to create useful items when one is a ceramic artist. It is an honor to be part of a fabled tradition and a rewarding place to jump from. That is where the functional fine art begins for me. To have the opportunity to express ideas other than function in useful items – can open ones mind, just as creating non-functional sculptures from the idea of an useful item does.

New Mexico, its sense of place, rich cultural history, the natural revelations of a prehistory world, and even older geology, inescapably become a part of each sculpture created in this magical place on the planet.