Ryan Burch
Ryan Burch is a potter in Putney, Vermont.
"For me, making with my hands has always seemed to be the most sensible and authentic contribution I can make to the world. Creating utilitarian objects that aid in the daily tasks and routines of everyday life has become the most direct method of articulating my value systems and philosophies to the world. In this sense, functional wares have the ability to bridge the gap and communicate between maker and user. Even without the use of language, handmade utilitarian objects can succinctly express and translate the world’s most basic principles and can connect individuals who may have otherwise remained unattached. This potential bond is what drives my desire to make and allows me to envision my work influencing traditional customs and activating the contemporary imagination. I attempt to entice the modern public by creating utilitarian forms that refer to history but also provide an earnest, eccentric, and forward-thinking tone. By working with this intention, I hope to promote awareness and appreciation of material, process, and product. I strive to reconnect individuals with the source of the commodities and objects they live with and use on a daily basis. It is my belief that by building a stronger connection between maker and user, and a more thorough understanding of this relationship, we will ultimately discover a living system that is deeply gratifying."