Jodi Colella, Josephine
Jodi Colella, Josephine
2024, Stoneware cone 6, glaze, family photo printed on silk, assorted fabrics, wool, fiberfill, 11 x 15 x 9 inches
Balancing tradition and innovation I create sculptures with elaborate layers of stitch, pattern and meaning using materials from soft domestic to rigid ceramic. My recent work intertwines familial connections and the inheritance of objects, skills and ideas passed through generations. Grandmother’s quilts, wedding dresses, drapes, plaid shirts, furry remnants from toys, upholstery, threads from unfinished needlework, and family photos are manipulated with crochet, weaving, wrapping and embroidery. I’ve recently introduced clay commingling rigid forms with fibers to create vessels that don’t hold water but instead contain stories embodying domestic life as an inquiry and form of self-discovery.