Date of Award
12-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
Department
Art
Committee Chair/Advisor
Valerie Zimany
Committee Member
Andrea Feeser
Committee Member
Alex Schechter
Abstract
Processing Self is a body of sculptural and utilitarian ceramic work that explores the intersection of the materiality of clay with the expression of grief and vulnerability. In this work I utilize the process of building unstable ceramic vessels and the communal action of wood firing to translate the experiences of grief and care into physical forms. As I build, I manipulate the clay to its limits, allowing it to falter under its own weight, and display the breakage and damage. By committing to support each vessel through its creation, I make a promise to persevere, echoing the commitment I made to my father.
I make wood firing central to my practice because it demands collaboration and trust, which forces me to confront my reluctance to ask for help. The collective labor embedded in the work, adding a tangible layer of care left evident through the surfaces. This body of work reframes vulnerability not as weakness, but as an act of transparency and authenticity. Through ceramics, I explore the medium as a means of connecting with human mortality by allowing things to break. I openly express emotion, inadequacy, and memory, fostering a vulnerable environment for both myself and the viewer.
Recommended Citation
McKellar, Ethan B., "Processing Self" (2025). All Theses. 4654.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_theses/4654