Rose Gong Monier
Member
Born in the Year of the Snake to Chinese immigrants fleeing the Communist takeover of
China. As a second-generation immigrant I always found myself between two worlds, the
obedient 2 nd daughter to an ancient culture or the rebellious and forgotten middle child in
the new world of America, where anything was a possibility.
The snake is both my Chinese Zodiac sign and my spirit animal. The snake image can
represent many different things but it is this symbol of rebirth that I most connect with. The
flowing serpentine line is incredibly sensual. And the patterning possibilities within the
snake is an endless source of inspiration to me. My work is a reimagining of Asian historic
sensibilities in a contemporary context with the graphic boldness of both the neolithic and
modern eras.
I find the physical working with clay to be incredibly appealing. There exists very little
between me and the clay when forming the pot. The hands-on process of kneading,
pounding and shaping the clay into a recognizable shape is quite intimate. This tactile link
of in making plates grounds me when it’s time to articulate the piece. The clay canvas has
3 dimensions, occupying space with surfaces and curves to be considered and edges
defined. The form starts out blank, but responds to being embellished, accenting positive
and negative spaces.
The work is composite of my nature, nurturing and western influences. A reflection of
history, heritage in a contemporary culture.
