Clay is one of the most important grounding forces in my life. In times of personal struggle, I tend to strip everything down, looking for a peaceful spot. In those times the work is usually functional pottery, simple forms with quiet unadorned surfaces.

So, when you look at the pieces in Black Birds, you can surmise that I am in a good place. This work is not quiet or simple. The pieces are not even all made of clay. Many are not glazed but painted with oils and shuffled with found objects.

These pieces tell a story, the story of how I got to that good place in my life. The story is about finding strength in yourself and being healed by nature, birds, family and art.

– Lisa Bare