Tracks and Light | Lake Michigan Ceramic Vase

Tracks and Light | Lake Michigan Ceramic Vase

This vase began with a walk along Lake Michigan where the surface of the sand was marked by small bird tracks moving toward the water. That sense of direction—of something passing through—stayed with me as I built this piece.

On one side, you’ll find those tracks rising vertically, set against moody, shifting blues that echo the lake on a gray day. Two circular impressions sit within the surface—like low sun appearing briefly through cloud cover or reflected light on water.

Turn the piece, and the texture shifts. The surface becomes more grounded, with a pattern that feels closer to tree bark—something you might notice walking through the woods along the lakeshore. It’s quieter, more still, but just as layered.

The form is hand built in porcelain and finished with glazes and engobes that include Lake Michigan beach sand, allowing the surface to break and move in a way that reflects the place it comes from.

This piece holds both movement and stillness—water and land, passing marks and rooted texture.