Jo Ann Williams’ ceramic work has evolved over the past eleven years motivated by an artist residency in Italy she embarked on after her husband's passing. Since she moved full-time to West Texas she has installed a kiln on her property and developed a robust studio practice. We visited Jo Ann in Marfa to learn more about her artistic process.
GARZA: What does a day in the studio look like?
JAW: I alternate between sitting at the wheel and standing while hand building. I always pick music to suit my mood of the day. I was on a jazz kick in June, these days I have been listening to classical sitar music.
JAW: I love clay because it's so immediate & tactile. Right now I'm trying to make dark earthy clay more vibrant, not serious and heavy. When I’m in the studio I'm so focused I often forget to eat and neglect dog walks. I have to remind myself to slow it down and breathe, ideas come fast and I want to jump up and make stuff!
GARZA: Do you work in series?
JAW: I don't think about my ceramic work in series but more as groupings. The group of larger pieces I've been recently working on were, in a way, a series, or conversation with my late husband's photographs. Casey shot large format photographs of the shipping containers that traveled along the channel in The Port of Houston, photographs I have hanging in my home in Marfa. Looking at the colors and textures of the rusted containers he captured in his beautiful photos inspired me to create a new technique with bands of glaze on my larger vessels.
GARZA: What are you doing when you are not making art ?
JAW:When I’m not making art I’m moving, swimming, step class or yoga! I spontaneously walk outside often just to breathe in the air. Every night I calm myself by reading and I always have 2 books going at a time.
I'm motivated daily in my practice by the encouragement and support of Garza Marfa & the Marfa community!
