“Adorned Earththings” is a multi-media and interactive presentation, with the focus of ceramics, telling the story of queer friendships, aging, decomposition and memory. With nod to the sea, grandmas jewelry, and the fairytale connection to home, the show explores the ideal childhood view of adult-hood, from an adults perspective. The work is inspired by muck and the renewal of energy, tenderness, and the obsession of the natures gaze.
HAPPENING:
🌀 1636 venables street, Slice of Life Vancouver
🌀 April 24-28, 2025
〰️opening night: Thursday, April 24 @ 6-10 PM
🌀 located on unceded and ancestral territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, or Tsleil-Waututh people
🌀 @slicevancouver
Artist Statement
This project started out as excitement and passion for a craft which pulled me out of a mental health crisis in 2019. I actually hated it at first, I found it frustrating and couldn’t stand being bad at something I didn’t understand. Fast forward a year, I picked it up again during the pandemic after moving to a new city and I immediately became obsessed with the feeling of clay. The ceremony of sitting down, typically with a beer, discovering new music that connected with me (but not grasping the words) and completely zoning out- letting the clay move my hands and allowing my brain to slow down and stop thinking. This ceremony helped me relax, feel connected to a community, and feel confident to explore new things; typically without thinking through them. Throughout this time, I was constantly moving; moving cities, moving apartments, changing jobs, starting a studio, moving said studio, closing said studio, applying/ pulling out of universities, all without having a chance to breathe. I sought solace in clay, with my beer and my music during these transitions, and doing so I felt like I could finally call myself an artist. At 25 I discovered a path forward for myself, something I was searching for but didn’t think I deserved for most of my early 20’s. This path, for which I’m at the beginning, was put forth from my love of clay.
This project was born around this time- the end of 24. I had gotten out of the phase of creating and learning the craft, and started conceptualizing projects with meaning. The meaning of each piece typically consisting out of colours and textures, inspired by my friendships, and feelings I couldn’t find any words for. I needed the art to speak for itself since my practice had only ever consisted as a means to turn my brain off. Yet at the same time, ideas were forming, and things began to make more sense the longer I sat and worked on them.
A few months into 25, my studio shut down, I moved into my partners parents house- later finding an apartment in December, and started a new job working at a nature school with 5 year olds. I knew I was craving stability, but my whole life had to get uprooted to get onto the path I was beginning to discover. Yet I continued to work on my show in Jim & Judy’s garage, I had my ideas already laid out and I just had to check them off my list, just like the to do list for my fast-changing life. By October, mostly everything for my show was made, I just had to get my kiln hooked up for completion. But with complications and moving yet again during the holidays, my pots sat untouched for months waiting to be completed. This also meant that I wasn’t regularly touching clay, my safety net. I continued to work on my art by branching out to new mediums, but in a slower pace, while also for the first time in a long time, working on myself again.
The months leading up to this show- April 24- I have started my sobriety journey. As I tie my loose ends together, I can finally put words to my art, my head is defogging. For me, this show is my coming of age story of my early 20’s. It’s about my grandmas, my friends, children play, the ocean, messy behaviour, and being 25.
cam hill 