Collection: Darcy J. Sears

My work is driven by my need to mold life out of clay. I watch life unfold, and discover moments of beauty in an ordinary day. These moments inspire my work.

The process is alchemy, where the ordinary stuff of life is transformed into something new. Clay and bronze are wonderful mediums with no boundaries or limits. Wings can sprout on anyone and trees can have wheels. Both mediums enable me to transform the mundane into something magical.

The purpose of my art is to add beauty to the world, and to bring joy into people's lives My work ranges from realistic to whimsical, from classical to abstract, from serious to playful. One series explores figures emerging from vessels, as though they are breaking out of confining spaces. Another shows figures in bathing suits. These ceramic swimmer sculptures are lighter in feeling, more colorful and amusing. In some of my ceramic sculptures, I incorporate mosaic tile so that the tiles are part of the structure of the sculpture.

I am primarily interested in line and form, the contours of the human body. I explore the figure in all its imperfections. All sizes and shapes of the human figure are beautiful and complete in my eyes. While I use models in my work, I may not portray them in a realistic way. I want to capture their mood, spirit, and the essence of who they are. I often balance large forms on small bases which is inspired by the ancient symbol for women “V”. I am interested in the alchemy of the finishes as well. A rust finish makes my ceramic sculpture look like metal.