Description
This ceramic wall altar was handmade with a B-Mix clay and fired to vitrification. It was hand-painted with underglazes that had been carved through to reveal the clay beneath. Inspiration came from the Water Spider, who has great importance in Cherokee stories, such as the First Fire. Swirls on the top and bottom are inspired by the southeastern, Four Directions symbol. The altar is intended to be a place where offerings can be made and objects of importance can be held.
Materials
B-mix clay, underglaze, clear glaze.
Dimensions
10" x 3.6" x 6.5"
Maeve Hilgers
Cherokee Nation
About the Artist
Maeve Hilgers is an artist and art educator living in Lawrence, Kansas. She focuses mostly on functional pottery that is thrown on the wheel but has recently been doing more sculptural ceramics as well. Her ceramics usually have an illustrative element, where she brings in the influence of other mediums such as painting, printmaking, and tattoo designs. She is most inspired by plants and animals and hopes that her art can bring people a sense of connection with nature. Maeve is a member of the Cherokee Nation through her mother’s ancestry. She enjoys incorporating aspects of Cherokee culture into her artwork, especially when it comes to stories about animals.
