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Dorae Hankin grew up in Northern California and received her BA in Studio Art from Carleton College in Northfield, MN. She was an Artist in Residence at the Mendocino Art Center from 2017-19 and currently lives in Grass Valley, CA.
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Statement
Working with clay is a continual process of listening and responding to the material in my hands, an exercise in patience and persuasion. I am drawn to clay for its malleability and memory, for the way it records the movement of my fingers. I love the evidence of that process made permanent through firing, and the honesty and intimacy of a handmade mark.
Through my pottery I hope to create a partnership between utility and decoration which contributes a sense of intention to daily life, especially to the experience of eating or sharing a meal. I am inspired by the intersection of practical function and aesthetics, the relationship between object and food, and the potential of utilitarian forms to be more than just utilitarian. The right bowl, a beautiful plate, a mug that fits perfectly between hands— these objects make ordinary experiences feel special, and they make good food taste even more delicious. With kitchens, coffee, and the dinner table in mind as I work, I strive to make functional pots which celebrate the foods and drinks they hold, and add beauty to the spaces they adorn.
My sculptural work explores my experience of nature and its strange, ephemeral beauty. I am interested in the way repeated forms can be altered or subtly individualized and arranged into a grouping to create patterns and rhythm, contrasting the details of each piece with the overall effect of the whole.