Tory Smith

Ceramic Sculptor

The most common question is, “What is it?”

My answer: “It depends on what you see.”

Who has not had the experience of seeing, let's say, a mouse scurry along the sidewalk, only to turn into a dry, curled oak leaf briefly enlivened by an autumn gust?

Shape shifting.

Aren't we all shapeshifters when we walk, dance, laugh, frown?

The human body is very good at shape shifting. I love trying to capture this aspect of the figure, the face. The possibilities are endless, the ultimate variation on a theme.

I start with a shape (like a tetrahedron) or an idea (bust, mask) then develop the details using various sculpting techniques incorporating and building upon inspiration from my stash of images, of bodies, faces, as well as unplanned marks. This way of building keeps the process interesting.

I am very comfortable with not knowing how a piece will turn out.