Connections Series: Toothpaste

Hand-finished, wooden shadowbox frame contains a single common object, hand built from high-fire stoneware clay, finished using stains and underglazes, and kiln-fired multiple times. A steel wire attached to the ceramic piece allows it to extend into the shadowbox, creating a three-dimensional effect. Each piece is unique and will vary; the artist uses no molds.

Sawtooth hardware attached for hanging. As human beings, we crave connection. Whether consciously or not, our minds seek and gravitate toward the familiar, the safe, and the relatable.

It’s what grounds us and gives us familiarity to the unknown. It’s what gives us a greater understanding of who we are. By presenting common, everyday objects as her subject matter, Brantley hopes to inspire connection, to spark a memory, to urge a stillness and refection that is not easily executed in today’s world.

Size and scale elevate these simple objects to an importance that isn’t typical in one’s everyday life, but through a connection they become a focal point and a work of art.

• Materials: Ceramic, Stoneware