Barb Moser

As a retired art educator living in Akron, I find clay an interesting and therapeutic way to express my ideas.  I enjoy challenging the status quo by experimenting with how far I can push clay as a material.  Methods I embrace in my hand-building work include blasting, molding, pounding, breaking, rolling, coiling, puncturing, impressing, pinching and tearing.  

My “blow-ups” function as a healing process that start with a lump of clay.  Each piece is unique and symbolizes something from my past with every explosion representing a specific negative memory to blast away.  The fragility of this process and the emotional release detonates my desire to continue blasting, even when this causes the work to fail.

Mask making allows me to playfully explore expression, exaggeration and multiple solutions without preconceived constraints.  My masks tell stories and come to life as I incorporate wire and a variety of objects from my personal collections as finishing details.  In addition to ceramics, I also devote time to creating with fiber, paint, metal, paper and more.  

The CCAG offers me an invaluable opportunity to be a part of a clay community.  Working with and learning from this diverse group of artists has encouraged me to grow, gain confidence and explore new ideas.