Brenda McMahon

I form soft earth into subtle polished vessels and create hand formed tiles into mystical fire paintings in the quiet of my rural studio.Merging primitive firing techniques with the simplicity of a Japanese aesthetic inspires my sculptural saggar fired vessels & mixed media tiles. My love of nature and the serendipity of fire are my muse in this exciting and unpredictable process. Each hand thrown vessel is surrounded in the kiln with a variety of organic materials, some of which affect the surface design while others provide the soft colors. During the firing, the burning materials and fuming minerals in the kiln yield a splendid combination of smoky blacks and grays with a palette of orange, salmon, pink and burgundy – all without the use of any glazes. I call the abstract landscapes and cosmic imagery fire paintings.