I’m always looking for someone who wants to play games.

The rhythm, the challenge, the echo of a ball across a court; each moment an invitation to play. It’s not just art that fills space, but art that activates a feeling beyond logic.

Slightly askew and wonderfully curious.

The Process of Play

I daydreamed a lot while building this. That’s how most of my work begins, meandering through inner landscapes. I found myself on the Amalfi Coast, descending a lush garden path toward a hidden tennis court surrounded by cypress trees. The morning sun warming my shoulders. The birds, the silence. A court as sanctuary. A place to disappear into.

So I made a moment: a solo scene. Just me, or perhaps you, hitting a few balls around; not for the competition, but for the joy. Horseplay.

I intentionally distorted the proportions. The racket is oversized, the balls exaggerated, strewn across the court like confetti. This surreal scale adds an element of whimsy; my signature touch. There’s always something subtly off in my work. Something left to discover. Something to smile at.

Hidden Details & Sacred Play - PROCESS

The court itself was carved from a slab of clay. I used fabric pressed into leather-hard clay to create a tactile, gritty texture reminiscent of a real tennis surface. I wanted precision, so I mapped out the true dimensions of a tennis court in SketchUp, scaled it down, and translated that geometry onto clay with careful scoring.

I wanted to create more intrigue and that’s when I decided that I would add an element of fabric woven across the middle. Lightness against the solidity of ceramic. I love contrasting textures how they create tension and dialogue.

And then, the story (how else to say and then the story, I don’t love the intro to this) more casual less dramatic, I like time paused - : a racket left behind, balls scattered, a sense of time paused. Maybe the player vanished mid-match. Maybe it’s a dream, a memory, or a quiet post-apocalyptic world where play still lingers. There’s stillness and movement all at once. is this moment of stillness almost depressing and am I ready to share this part of sadness of lonely play? is it something I should explore more? (solo play)

I used a stain technique after firing; letting dark pigment pool in the carved lines, then wiping the surface to reveal depth and shadow. The result is haunting and warm, as if the court holds the light of late morning sun. Around the edges, I glazed in burnt umber; a kind of earthy red that frames the space like a border or boundary line. Subtle contrast. Grounded energy.

Why I Make What I Make

What I love most is that this piece is curious. And curiosity is where all good art begins.

When I create, I ask myself:

What haven’t we seen before?

How can I make the ordinary feel enchanted?

What if art were a game and the viewer a player?

There are always hidden details in my work. Small secrets. They’re not necessary for the piece to function, but if someone catches them, I hope they feel the thrill of discovery, the same excitement I do while creating.

In the end, that’s what art is for me; a form of play. A way to explore the subconscious. To ask questions without needing to know the answers. To live with more curiosity, trust, and wonder. We don’t need certainty to create. We just need to begin.

And maybe, once in a while, we need to step onto the court, racket in hand; and see what happens.