This series started easily, in a moment while looking down at an open black walnut my hand. The metaphor suddenly was so obvious and simple. Over the years I’ve gathered a trove of everyday treasures while walking in the woods, or working in the garden. So I leaned into it. Some pods became life boats on a ceramic sea, others were placed on an alter - symbols of womanhood. A box turtle shell became the shielding umbrella of my father, long gone, and a nest the safety of my adult home. All are meditations on beauty and wonder, strength and impermanence. All pieces were hand built, painted with terra sigillata and smoke fired.