The Gallery at Flat Rock
The story that follows is about why I chose MACEDONIAN PEPPER the exhibition Trial by Fire.
In August of 1998 I was invited to the International Ceramic Colony in Resen, Macedonia for a 3 week experience with a small group of ceramic artists from Europe and the Middle East. I was very excited to take advantage of this unique experience, however, that area was where the United Nations had a presence while they waited for possible war in Kosovo. The decision I had to make whether to go or not felt like “a trial by fire”…. I decided I would wait until the last possible moment and if the war had not started in that region, I would go. It was a scary proposition to say the least. I decided to rely on my instincts and intuition. The war had not started so I decided to go, hoping that thefrom Resen would be there to meet me in this time of chaos in the region. Much to my relief, Mila was waiting with a big hug! We left immediately as they transported me to the lake region bordering Greece and Macedonia, still a resort area for the most part. My 3 weeks in Resen was indeed a life changing experience that I will never forget. I will love this time and the people I met forever...
For me, the pepper became a metaphor for the region, in part because they are a staple in their diet. At the same time peppers are a voluptuous and beautiful, the type of form I am attracted to. So when I returned home I created “Macedonian Pepper” in white earthenware and terra sigillata. It shows both the incredible and sensuous beauty of Macedonia as well as the feeling of unseen danger represented by spikey hornlike projections on the dark underside. This was the heightened reality of the 3 weeks I spent in Resen… Beauty and the kindness of everyone greeted me each morning but as I gazed across the lake at Albania at the sunset, I knew there was a dark side that seemed to illuminate and enhance my experience of being a visitor in Macedonia. That contrast of the dark side against all that brightness and beauty made the experience palpable...
My Macedonia experience changed me forever and for this I am deeply appreciative…Risk taking, if taken for what one believes are the right reasons, often yields unexpected and special gifts that cannot be obtained in any other way. My “Macedonian Pepper” is a visual symbol for that gift….When i see it, visions of my Macedonia experience comes rushing back!
