We are made of clay, earth, dust to which we will return. We are made by God in the image of God, yet we do not all look alike. As each of us is similar, yet different, the clay pieces Simon make are each unique though made of the same materials and processes. No two pieces are identical, each one tells its own story of its making and firing. He does not glaze the exteriors but leaves them exposed where the touch of the maker is revealed in fingerprints and tool marks. The colors on each piece are not applied, but evoked from within the clay body by the touch of the flame, as our gifts are evoked by the movement of the Spirit in our lives. The bowls, plates and pitchers he makes which are used for celebrating the sacrament of Holy Communion are not fancy, decorative pieces that might be made for royalty, but subtle earthen vessels that might be used by carpenters and fishermen. First century cups were not the stemware we often see in worship today. The bowl Jesus shared would most likely have been simple and in the breaking of bread, the simple is revealed as sacred.
Simon's work is made of clay formulated in Minneapolis at Continental Clay. He uses primarily a high iron, dark colored stoneware and a light colored porcelain that flashes brighter colors in response to the fire. As we are different colors, so is the clay. We fire entirely with scrap wood from the forests and industries from the great north woods. This environmentally responsible choice is a reflection of our care for creation. The artwork he makes speaks of its origins in the earth, the forests, in the hand of the maker, and its experience of the refiner's fire. The work speaks of identity not simply as the piece it is: cup, bowl, pitcher, but of its identity through relationship, one with another and through its mission in service: bearing the gifts of God for the people of God. You can see more of Simon's work and learn about our process.