Big Fish Eat Little Fish

This piece was inspired by Big Fish Eat Little Fish, a print by Pieter van der Heyden from 1557. Through recreating the piece in clay, I wanted to convey my thoughts on production ceramics and the permanence of clay. When first viewing this print, I felt that the fish represented capitalism and product consumption.
As an artist who makes multiples for sale, I often feel expected to produce an endless amount of work to achieve financial and social gain. With this piece, I was interested in using the stages of the ceramic process as a way to highlight the artistic burnout that can be experienced through overwork or stagnation in creativity. In a way, I see myself as an artist as the big fish—constantly consuming art and also constantly producing work. While I deeply enjoy and feel fulfilled by the art-making process, I am also concerned about the long-lasting impact that my practice could have on the environment. How are the things I am making in large quantities potentially affecting the environment, and how does that potential impact on nature affect the messaging of my work?