Kinsey Lane is a ceramics artist working in Magnolia, TX. Her current body of work focuses on natural surfaces in pottery.

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We see natural art appear within nature, from tree lines creating concentric rings, sliced open rocks revealing patterns of colors and textures, and patterns from colors and lines of earth that have been formed for millions of years. Sadly it is rare that we can step out into the everyday world and see these wonders on a regular basis. The goal of my pottery is to bring the natural earth inside in modern forms.

Humans naturally feel a connection with nature. There is a transfer of energy we make when making direct contact with the earth. I feel the same familiar connection when feeling the surface of bare pottery. My work protects the natural feel of clay by simply adding colorants to the bare surface and firing within a saggar. There is no glaze fused to the piece to separate the feel of the raw earth from the holder. It feels very natural like a smooth, polished stone.  

Inspiration for my work comes from natural formations, textures, and colorations. Saggar-fired pottery can have the appearance of red rocks of Sedona. Bright reds and whites allude to the land formed by iron oxide-rich sandstone and bright white limestone. I often also employ sharp blacks which can be created from combustible materials. The balance of these two creates surface designs reminiscent of ancient cave paintings. I have always been drawn to cave paintings as they are a collaboration of manmade design and nature’s design. I apply my patterns of colorants and combustibles in spiral or circular strokes in the same way my hands would move around the piece in its creation on the wheel. I feel like this integrates the design of my surface with the form of my piece.

Experimentation will always be a driving force in my pieces. I create smooth vessels to showcase the textures and colors I can then create on the surface. I can fire materials or ingredients to different temperatures and at varying rates to see how the surface responds. I can learn which materials yield which colors but there is little control over how the flames or smoke will lick the surface of a pot once the firing has started. Smoke and flame create movement in the designs of the pot that are hard to replicate with a brush and hand. Much like in life, one can work to uncover patterns but there will always be some unpredictability brought about by other forces. This unknown element always ensures each piece will be truly unique. 

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Please see the bottom of the page for exhibitions and publications.