Bonnie Lynch

"I am interested in beauty, in simplicity of form, in the process of making these pieces." 

Beauty brings serenity to one’s presence and can come at any moment, in or out of the studio - whether it is the way shadows look falling across a stone wall or the perfectly designed shell of a black beetle skittering across a dirt road or the clarity of the note sung.  Beauty is cause for moments of complete presence.

Simplicity in form requires quiet, focused attention. One of the reasons I like making large forms is to experience the generous amount of empty space surrounding them that is required to truly see the work, and to feel the volume of space within them, which fills their form.  Space, within and without, is an integral part of each piece.

It is the process that draws me to making art.  Being in the studio requires clarity and giving up control to the materials at hand.

Lynch began to work with clay more than 20 years ago, using the most basic and ancient methods of hand building clay forms and primitive firing techniques. The vessels are fired in pits or gas kilns using a combination of organic materials – manure, straw, sawdust – which yields the smoked finish. The markings are up to the muse of each firing. That lack of control, that element of chance, forces one to let go of the work and turn it over to nature.

Lynch's lifelong ties to her family ranch in Far West Texas have influenced the work to a great degree. The wide-open spaces of West Texas contribute to the scale and simplicity of her aesthetic. African and Asian influences enter in as well.

Notable collections:

Haags Gementemuseum, The Hague, The Netherlands

Judd Foundation, Marfa, Texas

Robert Wilson, Watermill Foundation, New York

Jack Lenor Larson, Longhouse Reserve, East Hampton, New York

Michael Tracy, San Ignacio, Texas

The San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts