During this residency, I want to create a new body of functional ceramics using wild, local clay sourced from the Ozarks. I’ve always been drawn to the intimacy of everyday objects — the cup you reach for each morning, the bowl passed around a table — and I want to deepen that connection by grounding the materials themselves in place. I’ll dig and process wild clay from the surrounding landscape, transforming it into functional vessels. I’m interested in exploring themes of locality, permanence, and craft — and how handmade objects can enrich our daily rituals. This project is rooted in a sincere love for craftsmanship and the role functional ceramics play in shaping our lived experience. It’s an invitation to slow down and consider where our materials come from.