Commissioned by Local Language for the Ritz Carlton, Tahoe, California. Exploring motifs of water, fragility, and changing landscapes through ceramic wall art, this piece considers the ceramic process a metaphor for geologic and climate change. Mapping themes of climate and place through experimental design, fire, and flux studies, Stein explores the wonder of ceramic material, her love of the Truckee River and Tahoe watershed. By leveraging the inherent fragility of ceramics, a theme emerges that contemplates the sublime and precarious beauty of Northern California’s water systems and the resilience of the natural world.

This installation explores the ceramic process as a direct metaphor for geology and flow, utilizing kiln firing to simulate natural phenomena such as cracking, melting, and fluxing. To represent the raw materiality of rock formations, approximately 100 individual "rocks" are hand-formed from a tan stoneware clay body, chosen for its gritty surface and warm color. Each piece is hand rolled and cut to a 1” thickness to ensure structural durability while maintaining a tactile, heavy presence.

The installation relies on a coded map that dictates the unique shape and specific location of every element within the composition. Firing mimics the geologic transformations of the earth- pressing the limits of the material to reflect motifs of water, fragility, and the volatility of eroded landscapes. 

67” l x 46” h x 1” d

(170.2 cm x 116.8 cm x 2.5)

Stoneware, glaze

2023