Janna DeWan

Pottery

About:

I tell a story of homesteading and the relationship of humans and nature through my work in clay. I live on 4 acres in midcoast Maine where I grow my own vegetables, fruit, herbs, and flowers for drying. I have chickens to process our compost and to give us eggs, and raise turkeys for nourishment. I live as simply as possible, conscientious of my impact on our environment. Creating in clay is a meditation of its own.

Images of the nature around me - either through sketches or photographs - decorate my pots. Line quality is important and intriguing to me. I like seeing variation in line weight and control, and imperfect and organic lines coupled with simple geometric patterns. I develop layers by using slip, underglaze, stamps, texture, monoprints, and stencils. Working through the challenges of building a composition using resisting techniques is exciting and allows for never-ending play.

I make work that makes me giggle. I’m a bit of an oddball, and my pottery reflects that. I make pots that fit into your everyday life and bring joy when handled. Leaving behind traces of my marks and fingerprints is important. There’s something so beautiful in seeing the “flaws” of the human hand.