Erosion Fossil
Erin Drake
Stoneware, oxide wash
Art Dimensions: 6" x 4.5" x 2.5"
Exhibition - Iowa Clay Conference | River 2 River
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Artist Statement
My ceramic work explores a speculative world, beyond our own, on a planet that could be discovered. Seed pods, fruit, fossils and stones of the invented world are artifacts. To understand a specimen and its function in an ecosystem, it needs to be studied in a deep, concentrated manner. I am referencing collecting, field journaling and natural history. From these references, I construct another world, with seeds and fruit similar to our world but yet completely foreign. I am using quickly identifiable textures and forms, like those found on cactus, coral, fruit and seeds, to influence my specimen. These moments of recognizable nature connect the viewer to the objects and encourage further study. Species existing on another planet allow me to speculate an alternative reality and focus more on the potential of other species without restrictions of what we know as real.
Artist Biography
Erin Drake was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio. She attended Bowling Green State University, in Ohio, where she received her Bachelor in Fine Arts degree in studio art in 2021. While in school she worked as a studio technician as well as was a studio assistant to John Balistreri. Following her BFA she pursued her MFA at the University of Missouri in the school of Visual Studies in ceramics. She graduated with her MFA in 2024. Her work predominately focuses on observations of the natural world, like seeds, fruit, cactus, fossils and shells and the collections of these specimen. These interests have coalesced into a sculptural ceramic practice with a focus on the creation of an invented world. Drake has seen success throughout her academic career thus far. She is the recipient of several scholarships, and grants including several for studio art and research. Notably, she received a CURS grant for researching the possibilities of full color ceramic decal printing. Drake has also participated in several group and solo exhibitions. Most recently, she completed her solo thesis exhibition titled “Botanical Imaginaries” in the George Caleb Bingham Gallery in Columbia, Missouri.
