Cinders Richardson

"Art imitates nature"; these words were written on a black board in an art appreciation class I took many, many years before I even touched clay. These three words are the heart and soul of my work today.

I grew up on the East Coast of Canada. Almost every day as a child I would walk along the rugged shoreline of my home, picking up shells, rocks, beach wood and other small "treasures." The rich texture and shape of nature seeped deep into my subconscious. Years later I moved with my husband from Canada to Colorado. My days were quickly filled with boredom, unable to work on my husband's visa, I looked for ways to pass the time. I am still not sure if clay found me or I found clay. My early childhood experiences resonated in clay and that first community pottery class was the beginning of something extraordinary.

For the first five years or so it was an experiment with "Mud" and then my true style began to reveal itself. The influence of nature and expecially ocean life are strong in my work. You can't help but be drawn to the tactile beauty of a piece. The high detail and rich textures are a celbration of how I see nature through the medium of clay.