“I’m drawn to ancient vessels and containers because they hold a secret and mysterious history. The exquisite "art" that emerges from their utilitarian purpose is what inspires me."
Alexis Strong was born in San Diego and as a child lived in Germany, Switerland and Belgium with her family. As a child and as an adult, she has always loved making things with her hands. Strong began working in clay in the 90’s and the appeal was immediate. She has studied with Priscilla Hoback and Shereen Lobdell at Santa Fe Clay but is largely self-taught.
Strong hand builds her pieces using a variety of clays and then high-fires them. Each piece is extraordinarily rich with texture and stained surfaces. She frequently treats the inside with a glaze resembling weathered copper.
Inspiration for Strong is rooted in primitive vessels from all cultures. Ancient artifacts, now considered art, were, in fact, utilitarian - tools, vessels, containers – unique to their maker and decorated in some manner which spoke of the creative force at work.
Her aim is to animate her vessels, urns and bowls with a philosophy and aesthetic that value a connection to the earth and are yet practical for the journey through life. She incorporates bones, stones, weathered wood into her work as handles or lids. Strong continues to work on a series of “cinerary urns” designed to hold the ashes of a loved one.
Strong’s work has been described as “having an eternal quality, an unearthed quality, like something drawn up from the primordial ooze of creation…breathing the breath of first life.”
Strong’s work can be found in many private collections here as well as in Europe and Japan.
