PAULA SHALAN

My practice centers on acute observation of the minute details found in nature. I hand craft my smoke fired ceramics as an antidote to our fast paced technological lives. The direct hand- to- clay method of pinch, coil and slab construction (no wheel and no glaze) begs attention to a nuanced touch. I like to keep an attentive and reciprocal dialog with the clay; to honor its inherent qualities. My aim is to distill and highlight the astounding beauty and quiet wisdom of field and forest.

Paula Shalan has received awards of distinction from The Smithsonian Craft Show and The Society of Arts and Crafts for her hand formed, smoke-fired ceramics. Her work has been featured in national and international craft magazines, including Ceramic Monthly and Ceramic Art and Perception. Participating as an artist-in-residence at Acadia National Park and The Dune Shacks on the Outer Cape has deeply influenced her work. “My work is a quiet tribute to the details found in nature.”