Throughout my career as a graphic designer, I have used lines and shapes to create the illusion of volume in two dimensions. As a maker, working with steel and stoneware, lines create planes, planes intersect, intersections tangle and turn. On paper, in clay, and in metal, my work is graphic, rich with contrast, and nods toward a mid-century aesthetic; where Eames meets Escher. My style is clean, quizzical, and considered, and my objects are well crafted, innovative, and one of a kind. Accountability and stewardship are constant considerations in my process and aesthetic. My table tops are made from either found materials (glass, metal, wood) or remnants from local stone yards (granite, quartzite, marble). When using stone, I work with the stone yard to reduce waste from cutting and polishing. I am diligent about obtaining materials that are industrial byproducts, broken, leftover, or would otherwise be headed to the landfill. I carefully evaluate material sourcing, chemical disposal, and carbon emissions. The finishing process is also deeply considered and a vital component of my craft. The patinas on my objects are achieved by soaking metal in a tannin-rich tea bath. They are then polished with my own natural, food-safe paste wax to prevent rust while adding rich luster. The combination of form and finish pushes the perception of small gauge steel. Pieces are light, gracious and yet robust; defying expectations of instability. Plants appear to hover. A granite table top floats above the floor. Underneath, a tangle of steel plays tricks on the eyes. My ceramic work is primarily fired in a soda kiln.This affords my precise, elegant forms the serendipity of an atmospheric firing. With my background in graphic design, I have a rigorous mentality for order and simplicity, which translates to my form-making. My finished steel objects share many of the qualities of my print-based work, intentional and structured. By contrast, my finished work in clay is left to the kiln gods to decorate, a process that can yield wildly unexpected results. I cherish this collaboration with the unknown. Thank you for your time and consideration. Emily Rye MFA 11, Graphic Design Critic, RISD Graphic Design