Red Lodge Clay Center – Short-Term Resident (AIA) 2022
Bonita Kline is a Master of Design from the University of Cincinnati where her thesis work focused on the translation of two and three dimensional forms. A garment design professional in NYC for more than 25 years, Bonita is grateful to have worked with top American designers before shifting her interests to clay. After close to 10 years of study with noteworthy clay artists, Bonita is currently completing her PBC Artistry Graduate Certification at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth.
I make sculptural ceramic forms using the opposing forces of hands against clay, creating a tension between the elasticity of the clay and the articulation of a finished sculpture. This tension is representative of stress placed upon the body as a result of how we view ourselves in relation to other people.
Within our culture, we, as humans, tend to put pressure on ourselves as a result of our unconsciously learned human behavior. We are trained from infancy to perform for each other. These interactive performances create patterns that continue throughout our lives. We “play the game” to fit into these patterns. The subconscious, or conscious, effect of this action and reaction game creates both a social and physical strain on the body, on the self, on who we are.