Bambi Waterman

Bambi Waterman, Artist / Instructor, M.F.A. Mills College, B.F.A. San Francisco Art Institute, has taught at numerous Bay Area colleges and universities, such as Cal State Hayward, S.F.A.I.,S.S.U and College of Marin. Her work has also been exhibited in a variety of publications, such as: Art Week, Ceramics Art and Perception, and the 5th edition of Hands in Clay. Her popularity may come from the universal appeal of her work, from ceramic sculpture to two-dimensional graphite drawings, that imbue a sense of peace; a feeling that transcends the difficulty of our typical human-life experience, and allows us to rest.

Waterman’s primary focus is on organic form. Intensive exploration with porcelain lend clarity and beauty to the subtle complexities found in the process of, for example, marine polyps. A life-long appreciation of ecology has lent her to an investigation of coral reefs, and the millions of tiny colonies of polyps that make up such vast, underwater landscapes.

Coral reefs are one of the wonders of the natural world, and one of nature’s most significant and ancient infrastructures. Protecting thousands of miles of shoreline from erosion, these intricate structures support biodiversity essential to the balance of the world’s ecosystems. Global warming and our overuse of the reefs is causing untold damage to these beautiful yet fragile formations. Through the use of porcelain clay and the inspiration of the tiny polyps that slowly grow and lay down the supporting skeleton of the coral reefs, Bambi has created a series of sculptural forms that have developed and evolved in relation to one another. Each of the sculpture’s tiny vessel forms symbolize the possibility of rebuilding our own society, and rescuing the Earth.