Folk Floral Tray for wall and table. These paintings were made for a May solo show I participated in but this is their online debut. This tray is a great addition to your home for summertime grilling and garden parties or simply to stay on your wall and serve as a painting. It was designed to have a hanging mechanism built into the foot so it can be displayed on the wall and then removed with ease to use at your table. The design idea comes from having limited storage space in our home. Pieces of odd sizes and shapes can be challenging to find cabinet space for since they don’t always stack well. In addition to the storage dilemma I often want my collection of handmade objects to be viewed and enjoyed. I hope this piece finds a purpose in your life, wherever makes sense for you.

• Dishwasher safe

• 14.25 x 7 x 2

Show Artist Statement:
These pieces are a love letter to my favorite place and the person who brought it into my life. I have spent much of my adult life longing to have a garden of my own and last June, when I moved into our home on Maple Street, that dream was realized. Like many dreams realized, it has been beyond imagination. The garden has taught me many lessons about myself, and how I want to spend my time. In the garden, there have been battles of ego and heartache when things don’t go my way or fail. But quite often, magical moments bring me contentment and an abundance of JOY that encourage me to show up and stay curious.

In August, my partner and I will exchange vows surrounded by a small group of friends, family, and flowers we have grown in our backyard, which has been transformed into a tiny flower farm.

These functional canvases have been a technical stretch for me. I have negotiated and maneuvered through more “flawed” work in the last months than in years. However, this has become an important reminder in trying, exploring, and experimenting. Gardening and working in clay have so many lessons folded into the process, two of which are the importance of patience and time. Both require just the right amount of water and hard work. Both build muscle memory and ease with time, but never let you get too comfortable in your knowledge.

Happy spring, y’all- we made it out of winter another year and now we are rewarded with all the vibrant colors and blooms.

flower work

is

not easy.

remaining

soft in fire

takes

time.

-nayyirah waheed