Matt Jones
Matt Jones makes forms steeped in traditional sources. Many of his forms reference the crocks, jars, and jugs of 19th century American traditions. Using local materials and decorative traditions, Matt’s work pays homage to a time when pottery played an important role in survival. Jones expresses a similar infatuation with surface treatments. With a nod toward the decorative traditions of Edgefield, South Carolina, he uses an alkaline glaze with kaolin slip trailing. The brushwork is largely inspired by Chinese floral patterns and centuries of European and American interpretations of these motifs
Matt Jones at MudFire
Gallery group show Asheville in Atlanta, September 2004
Matt Jones Artist Statement
I am first and foremost a maker of functional pottery. I feel that livingwith and using handmade pottery everyday is a nice way to enhance the qualityof our lives. Beauty and aesthetic pleasure should be integrated into thesimple daily rituals that sustain us. A pot of tea or a mug of hot coffee,cereal from a favorite bowl, pouring iced tea from a pitcher into tumblers,or a full dinner served from platters and serving bowls. Eating and washingdishes are a big part of life and should not bemire drudgery but an opportunityto savor life's colors, patterns and textures.
It is important that my work is grounded in the Carolina traditions thatgo back 150 years, but I feel quite free to incorporate a modern sensibilityand ideas from other cultures. This approach keeps me interested and enthusiasticand seems appropriate for modern tastes and needs. I make pots year roundand fire them twice a year in a huge wood-burning kiln.
