Jason Trautz

The Garden Statement

With this collection, I am highlighting organic matter by incorporating it into my vessels, while drawing on Asian influences. I chose to highlight lesser-seen parts of nature like roots, vines, sticks and needles to evoke a minimalist aesthetic.

These organics are coarser and more masculine then flowers or leaves.  These things are dead now, but through decomposition will bring life to new plants. They are in a state of transition between life and death, they are representative of the changing of the seasons, and they are the building blocks of new growth.

I was inspired by the ancient Chinese art of Penjing, a precursor of Japanese Bonsai, where entire miniature landscapes were displayed in pottery. I chose to adapt a minimalist version of this, because it more accurately represents the spirit of my works.

Vessels are intrinsically unfinished objects, until they are filled. An artist creates them, incomplete, and leaves it to the owner to fill the vessel; thus finishing the piece. Empty they are in a state of transition as well. My ‘Garden Statement’ was to fill my vessels and to take ownership of my pieces by filling them, thus completing the cycle of life.