After graduating with a BA in industrial design, California native Rae Dunn spent several years in the graphics and fashion industries. But the self-described “Luddite” quickly became disillusioned by the increasing computerization of these fields. Thus she decided to return to a more hands-on form of expression – ceramics.
Almost nothing is more tangible than working with clay, and Rae’s pieces in particular seem to revel in this fact. Crafting everything by hand, Rae bypasses perfection in favor of character and whimsy. Hers are not delicate porcelains with which to politely sip, pinky in the air. Rather they proudly bare the marks of their creation. The fact that you can almost sense Rae molding and forming the clay, gives her work a raw vitality, and makes you want to touch them in turn. Earthy and organic, Rae’s forms elicit the same kind of visceral joy as Nature herself. It’s not that they are simple, so much as elemental.
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Love Rae’s work! As a matter of fact, I just rested my wooden cooking spoon down on that very cheeseboard before sitting down to read some blogs a moment ago, voila!
Kathryn, I have to introduce you to my friend Al, who lives in your neck of the woods. Al and I have the exact same taste. Which means YOU and Al would too
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Please do! That would be wonderful!
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