My name is Jes Robinson, and I am a ceramic and multimedia sculptor native to Louisville, KY. In my work, I express my curiosity about the human mind and heart by integrating ceramic forms with other media, such as paint, textiles, and metals to imbue each piece with a sense of life. Some of the themes I find myself revisiting are the figure as landscape, metaphorical representations of the conscious mind, and the emotional states and experiences that can be incredibly difficult to articulate verbally, but might be better communicated in visual form.

The modern artists that most inspire me are Beth Cavener, Nan Smith, Cristina Cordova, and Phillipe Faraut. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to do a sculpture workshop with Nan Smith in 2018, and was looking forward to the follow-up workshop planned for the summer of 2020 when the pandemic forced its cancellation. It was in my search for other strong figurative sculpting workshops that I discovered Phillipe Faraut’s work and extensive experience teaching, and I have attended two of his excellent workshops since then. While they all have a very distinct way of handling the material, each artist’s emphasis on the structure and foundational form of the figure being sculpted is ever present, and the emotive way they communicate through the clay is entrancing.

The more I have researched artists and practiced different sculpting techniques, the more drawn to clay I have become. It is the material of near-infinite possibilities, and is so ready to accept intricate detail and maintain the liveliness of the artist’s touch. That said, I still enjoy exploring how complimentary interests can visually support one another, and delight in discovering how different materials contribute to the flourishing of a concept in its final form. The time-intensive process of making large figurative work leaves open periods during which ceramic components are drying or being kiln-fired, and I use this time to enjoy the rhythmic movement of the pottery wheel or the restful feel of more concise hand-built projects. When you view my work, I hope there is a little glimpse of the spirit within it.