Taylor Henry

My definition of beauty changed when I relocated to New Mexico. I found that the word “green” was no longer necessary. I fell in love with the landscape and the animals that called it home. I still remember the first time I saw a roadrunner, a blur of feathers streaking past pausing just long enough to look back at us before taking off again. When I finally got to see one up close, I was surprised at the bright markings behind the eyes, something you don’t get to see when they are going full speed. 

 

My work draws from these natives and their environment. I try to capture their energy in a single pose, whether it be lazily scratching an ear or at full alert. By enhancing certain features, such as feet or ears, I add a playful quality which gives more life to piece. Their fur or feathers are etched into the wet clay and further defined with iron stain. Little to no color is put on the piece. I believe that leaving the clay unglazed gives it a stronger connection to the earth from which it came. These natural hues mimic the landscape from where the subject lives. As my work has evolved I have slowly been adding hints of color, as seen with X Marks My Path, my most recent piece. These small pops of color reflect the color not initially apparent in a desert landscape, but still present. The sculptures are built using a pinch-pot method of hand building. Starting at the bottom and working up, with details added as a last step. The clay body itself is a stoneware fired to cone 6 in an electric kiln.