Bonnie Belt Ceramic Sculptures Art Prints "Smoke fired"

Nature inspired ceramic sculptures. Birds-herons, hummingbirds and more. Sculpted cypress trees, carved ocean wave vessels and functional dinnerware. All work one-of-a-kind individually made by Bonnie Belt.

My work explores the energy that surrounds and permeates all life. Humans are vitally connected to the natural environment and my work embodies that conjunction. Through the examination of Nature’s creatures I hope to find meaning to our existence.
I am inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement of the early 20th century, an artistic movement that had the ideals of creating harmony with Nature and creating a sense of peace away from jobs and factories. This ideal may be even more relevant today due to our immersion in technology. I also incorporate the curvilinear shapes and the romanticism of the Art Nouveau movement and see this influence in my bird and tree sculptures.

I'm using my background in Chinese Brush Painting to individually hand brush paint my slab and hand-formed on the potter's wheel dinnerware. My functional ceramic work uses the Chinese "four gentlemen", bamboo, plum blossom, grass orchid and chrysanthemum designs along with horses and other designs painted with oxides and sprayed with a clear glaze. The painting is waxed to resist the colored glaze and the entire piece is then dipped in a durable high-fired, food-safe, microwave and dishwasher safe glaze. The piece is fired in the kiln to 2151 degrees and left to cool. Some mugs and flat pieces have an applied 100% silicone, non-skid base.