Pamela Eisenmann

Background

Pam spent her youth in rural Mississippi, Tennessee and Ohio, a product of cattle farmers and artists, and also travelled widely as an adult. Several of her ancestors were painters, but she was drawn to ceramics while a college undergraduate, discovering the joy and satisfaction of manipulating clay, and finding excitement in its sculptural possibilities and tactility. She holds degrees from The Ohio State University, The University of Tennessee, and American University, with concentrations in education, ceramics and non-profit arts management.

Inspiration

Inspiration comes from interactions with artistic and witty friends and relatives, nurturing in a farm community, foreign travel, and an avid funny paper habit. Pam is interested in incongruities, such as animals doing human things, which impart humor to her work.

Philosophy

Pam is process-oriented and likes the exploration and manipulation of clay, often with a view toward sculptural and whimsical elements, seeing what develops in the exploration. It is a way to solve problems and gives her a chance to invent. She is attracted to the sensuous, tactile aspects of clay, and is especially fond of full, fat forms that resemble living, growing things, with exaggerated and abstracted features.