Artist Statement:

My ceramic work can be seen as an exploration of my relationship with clay as a place of refuge, through the creation of soft biomorphic vessels. Drawing visual inspiration from organic elements such as clouds, various plants and fungi, and human anatomy, I create handbuilt forms with dramatic curves and undulations that capture the soft dynamic shapes I am drawn to. There is an inherent tension that exists between the interior and exterior of these vessels, and I examine the relationship between these two surfaces as a way to better understand the struggle between escapism, comfort, and emotional avoidance. 

The sculptural vessels begin as intuitively doodled shapes which are refined into the fluid forms I build using a combination of handbuilding and mold-making techniques. These forms are made modular to interlock with one another, allowing me to create objects in response to each other. They loosely mimic components of the human body, such as organs, cells, and bones, reflecting the vessel nature we all possess. The creation of these forms is an act of mindfulness, and as I doodle and design these vessels I am actively processing different emotions. 

Inspired by chenille, velvet, and corduroy, I use a combination of spray paint and rayon flocking to create surfaces similar to the textiles I find most comforting, while other pieces are covered with satin glazes and paint reminiscent of polished stone. These soft pastel exterior surfaces are happy, colorful, and appear pleasurable to touch. In contrast, I mark the interior of these vessels with darker, more viscerally colored, and roughly textured glazes that crawl, ooze, and blister to reflect internal psychological issues that are often overlooked and ignored. 

Bio:

Dani Lewis is a contemporary multi-media artist who primarily works with clay. Growing up in Connecticut, she was raised in a creative family that encouraged her to explore art at a young age, and she was first introduced to ceramics in middle school. In 2024, Dani graduated with her BFA in ceramics from Arizona State University and recently completed a post-bac program at the University of Hartford. Working with fibers, lights, glaze, and paint, Dani uses a combination of hand-building and mold-making techniques to create biomorphic sculptures and vessels that explore texture and surface. She has received multiple awards and scholarships and has participated in group and juried exhibitions in Arizona and Connecticut. She has attended workshops at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, was a 2025 summer resident at the Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts, and is an incoming Artist-in-Residence at the Morean Center for Clay.