Inspired by traditional folk craft objects designed for practical use, I enjoy adapting such shapes in reference to modern ceramics. As I intuitively respond to the clay, I employ tacit knowledge to manipulate the clay and enhance its natural softness as a malleable material. Hand-building embeds human activities within the vessels, creating appearances of breath or movement as well as more organic shapes. Bulges, folds and dimples personify the form and further suggest the human touch, capturing the material-maker interaction and my working of the clay. The coils encapsulate the growth of the vessel and create detail within the surface. They also draw parallels to the human form, mimicking wrinkles or an excess of skin. Indented into these coils, gestural marks are reference the body’s movement and the textural ‘imperfections’ within skin, such as scarring and stretch marks. I derived these marks from large paintings that captured the direction of my body, freely using my whole upper body to translate my movements into a two-dimensional visual.