Becca Lemon

Becca Lemon is a clay artist living in the state of Oregon, USA.

I’ve always been very interested in mythology and folklore, and living in the Pacific Northwest I naturally developed a passion for the wild world that surrounds us. I make wall-relief “masks” inspired by elements of nature in an effort to personify the natural world for a human audience. My figurative sculpture is centered in the concept of Gaia, which I present as a sentient persona conveying both the wild and the gentle aspects of our planet, and the many ways in which our human presence affects her.

I like to describe my work as “improvisational.” I begin with a general idea but not much detail, and see how the work evolves as it develops. Much like a writer, I develop my characters very loosely and let them teach me who they are as we go along. My pieces are portraits of creatures whose own particular stories come to light in the making, and I hope the stories are evocative enough provoke an intuitive response in my viewers.

Clay is an ancient medium of expression and, for me, the most satisfying. Forming a piece in clay is a way of speaking without words, and it seems to me that when I am working conscious thought ceases and meaning flows into the piece unfettered through my hands.

The finishes of my pieces range from natural clay fired with oxides, to being partially or completely glazed. Occasionally I will use specialized paints or metal leaf as an additional finish. I burnish and then grind all sharp edges that will come into contact with the supporting surface. Each mask is wired to be hung like a painting.

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