Nathan Falter

This work takes inspiration from the beginning of the industrial revolution–a time when things were mass produced but not fully mechanized. It was a moment when man was just beginning to master machine. These pieces embody the quirky nature of discovery and reflect a desire to revisit the past. I work as immediately as possible; in small groups; six to a dozen pieces at a time. I use a limited pallet of very sensitive glazes and fire often in a small kiln. It is a chaotic work cycle but it is very informative. Almost every week I am looking at new pots laid out across the grass. Some pots come inside, some land in the garden. All of them inform and predict what is next. Clay is demanding. You can get caught up in one aspect forever. I’m trying to see the whole process: how a piece is made, how the surface is addressed, how it is fired, and finally how will it be used. I’m trying to compress this process into a moment of clarity; a poetic moment where the piece reveals itself.