Each of my designs begins with some inspiration, usually a color, mood or a musical phrase. Working with pastels and colored pencils, I allow the harmonies between colors, the tonal qualities of particular combinations, the melodies and counterpoint of different design elements to interact on the page with as little critical or analytical input as possible. Once I have an intuitive sense of the piece, I begin to think what form the piece should take and the placement of the major design elements within its form.
None of my pieces are fully mapped out; I create several loose sketches which serve as working ‘scores’ for the piece as it evolves and changes during the coiling or weaving process.
Working three-dimensionally provides the added challenge of creating a cohesive design that works well when viewed on a curved surface. Open Bowls require the constant interplay of forms in the design with the curving, spiraling nature of the coiled surface.
While the challenge with shaped vessels is creating a design that is cohesive when approximately one third of the design is visible at any given moment while 18also maintaining the flow of the design around the whole vessel.
Lin Bentley Keeling 