Three distinct approaches to one medium
Clay, with its unmistakable materiality, feels particularly current today. Its unlimited possibilities are the focus of Clay. Fire. Light., an exhibit of new ceramic pendants, sconces, and table lamps by Caroline Blackburn, Christopher Merchant, and Episode’s Jesse Shaw. Sculpture and painting inform these handmade and one-of-a-kind works, on view at our New York showroom. All are available for purchase.
THE SCULPTURAL WORK OF
Caroline Blackburn
Trained as a painter, Caroline Blackburn uses shape, surface, and texture to determine how her ceramic fixtures hold and emit light. Her pieces feel both elemental and expressive, whether thrown on a wheel, hand-built, or a combination of both. For this show, the Los Angeles-based designer introduces the Thea sconce and a monumental hand-built pendant.
Thea filters light through form. The fixture’s contour, thickness, and subtle gaps regulate illumination, with the intentionally unresolved edges introducing softness and variation. Each piece is individually formed, with no two identical.
A simple silhouette allows this monumental pendant’s surface variation and material depth to stay center stage.
“When light interacts with clay, it reveals thickness, edge, surface, and imperfection. It animates the form from within and around.” – Caroline Blackburn
THE TECHNICAL IMPRECISION OF
christopher merchant
Christopher Merchant explores the tension between geometry and clay’s imprecision. He develops systems that allow for organic variation, with the resulting forms feeling organic and controlled. Crafted from stoneware, his Arbor and Silo collections are made by hand and finished in a rich palette of glazes.
Table Lamp
The Silo lamps draw from architecture and infrastructure, balancing clean geometry with subtle variation. Defined by a tapered form and tightly spaced ridges, each piece celebrates the irregularities of its making.
Table Lamp
Like genetically similar trees whose size and shape differ depending on conditions, the Arbor table lamp retains a core identity but morphs during its creation. It features the same spaced ridges and hand-applied glazes as the Silo, but offers a taller, skinnier base.
THE INTUITIVE PROCESS OF
Jesse shaw
Jesse Shaw approaches ceramics as a historical medium and field for contemporary interpretation. The Episode founder begins with traditional vessel archetypes, with the forms, colors, and patterns evolving as he hand-makes the pieces. The show includes a selection of his singular pendants and table lamps.
"Forms evolve through making, guided by curiosity and a willingness to be surprised. I’m interested in allowing the material to lead, rather than imposing a predetermined outcome." - Jesse Shaw
