. ARTIST'S STATEMENT
Meryl Ruth and her Muse, Lily
My art is my means of expressing love, beauty, truth and faith. Trained as a painter, I grew, evolved and emerged a ceramicist. My work with the wheel-thrown form reflects the fact that process is uncommonly important to me.
Among my construction techniques are altering, as well as throwing. The sensation of the clay, especially of porcelain, attracts me. Hours pass. I paint or air-brush or silkscreen, blissfully immersed in adorning my vessel. I might use a Dremel drill to pierce one vessel's surface or the sgraffito technique to reveal underlying color in another.
I enjoy the feeling of working on clay in its most delicate form --- the greenware state. It is an awe-inspiring sensation, much like that of caressing a delicate creature or newborn child.
Time doesn't matter to me. I work on several pieces at once, sometimes for months, even years. Each finished vessel is unique. To me, the success of a piece is the love and connection I feel during it creation. My goal is to learn and grow with each of my creations, to perceive new insights that go beyond shape, color or technique.
My work is an extension of my faith. I create because I was blessed with a sacred gift --- as I believe we all are --- as well as the talent to bring it to fruition. Creating art is my way of thanking God for the gift bestowed upon me. Creating is a hallowed place I enter to touch my Higher Source. I see myself simply as a vehicle of God's divining grace. My studio is my sanctuary. My work is my prayer.
Meryl Ruth
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