Brick Shapes

These shapes are inspired by the eroded bricks washed up on the shore at the Leslie Spit (Tommy Thompson Park), a completely human created park in Toronto that sprawls five kilometers into Lake Ontario. Built from the debris of old buildings and subway construction as well as dredged sand material from the lake, the park underwent significant environmental restoration efforts and is now a thriving ecosystem.

Bricks and other construction debris can be found on the shores of the park, enticing visitors to engage with the materials and create sculptures. The sculptures are a reflection of the people passing through the park, and their creation takes places over countless visits.

These ceramic sculptures made from clay are brought to life through their surfaces. Apart from one fully glazed piece, they are either pit fired where smoke and natural combustibles darken the surface, or fired using the obvara technique of dipping hot ceramics in a mixture of fermented water, flour, yeast, and sugar.

By temporarily inserting these shapes into the environment where visitors have created brick and debris sculptures allows them to integrate with the community of the park while I continue to explore the variations of forms.