Erin Siena Jobs: Clay Is My Language

Make Hauser & Wirth is delighted to present the work of ceramicist, Erin Siena Jobs. The exhibition will feature a breadth of thrown and hand-built works in stoneware and porcelain highlighting Jobs’ exploration of form and glaze. An emerging maker, Jobs demonstrates a natural and intuitive relationship with her material. Her deeply personal and reflective pieces suggest a closeness to the clay and a desire to fully embrace and discover the unpredictability of the medium and the intricacies of glazes.

‘I began working in ceramics in November 2019 and fell in ambitious love with the work. My teacher, Scott Jennings, has been instructing me since the beginning. He is an amazing teacher, artist, and friend. I use mid-range, high fire clays and glazes to make pieces that reflect my emotional state in the moments I make them. The making and glazing are two opportunities I use to create from emotion. In the same piece, the form and the glaze may or may not have the same emotional resonance. The harmony or dissonance created by this can be powerful, like a mouse in a fitted suit or a sunset over the ocean. For most of my work, I prefer hand building because I like the way the clay can express itself. I try to encourage the clay to do unexpected things and to recognize when it does. Often, I do not plan what I am making before I begin. I find some of my best work happens while I’m in the present and meditative working state, where my emotions become clear throughout, or even sometimes after. I keep my balance between technical plans and spontaneity flexible. I dream about ceramics. Clay has become one of my languages. In glazing, everything is an experiment. There is information in the way each glaze interacts with the clay body. When you see and hold these pieces, I hope some of them will resonate with you.’—Erin Siena Jobs

Erin Siena Jobs, Plate 135, 2020-2021, Mid range stoneware © Erin Siena Jobs