Portrait of a Ceramic Woman (For Rick) 2022

2022 was an extremely rough year for myself and my family. My sisters and I lost our father, and my mother lost her lifelong partner. 

My dad was an avid collector of 20th century ceramics and amassed quite the premier collection over the past few decades. One piece in particular, a dish done by polish-born ceramicist Polia Pillin (1909-1992), has always put me in quite the trance. The woman, hand painted onto the plate, has a sort of aura about her that leaves one looking. 

I wanted to capture this woman in neon, as a sort of tribute to my dad and his collection, and as an exploration of the piece I’ve come to love. This study has seemingly started a journey of discovery, as I want to continue this theme of capturing my dad’s collection in neon, and learning more about it, and him, in the process.