In my practice I build patterns with clay using the Japanese method of nerikomi. Nerikomi is a process of forming colored slabs of clay, reducing and then slicing them to reveal designs embedded within the cross-section. These slabs can then be reassembled or combined to create symmetry and repetition of pattern. I repeat patterns until they achieve a homeostasis and acquire a balance and a rhythm of their own. This mindful repetition pays respect to the materials and to the patterns themselves.
Through this time-intensive and ritualistic process, I see myself as committing an act of devotion within my work, breathing life into it, which becomes a visual representation of my spiritual and mystic labor. Just as the pattern submits itself to dissolution or expansion, I must submit to the process and seek wholeness, rhythm, and balance.
True order is not rigid; it breathes. Creating order is not about imposing strict rules but about weaving balance—much like the way nerikomi patterns emerge through patient layering and mindful cutting, revealing harmony that was always present within the clay. In my work, I find that this breathing order mirrors the very repetition that allows patterns to find their natural equilibrium, creating a visual meditation where material and maker move together toward that same essential rhythm.