Each piece of porcelain Darcie creates is a work of art – hand-formed, hand-painted and then hand-carved to re-reveal the white porcelain underneath.
Photography by Brandon Watson for Cool Story, Buffalo
Darcie was introduced to ceramics through a college course taught local artist Bryan Hopkins. And because she loves a challenge, she's been creating in porcelain (a most difficult mediums) since first being captivated by it in 2016.
That's when she discovered her now signature style: graffito, painting color on a functional vessel and then carving away at it.
"I was just coming off two years of just painting and drawing. I love painting, but I like the tangibility or actual use of something. It feels like there's more purpose behind it."
Darcie on finding inspiration ...
"Most of my work is about dualism. Dualistic, like yin and yang, the two polar opposites. I'm really into symbols and how you can hide your idea in a photo. You can use a symbol and some people know what that symbol is, some people don't."
“I'm trying to figure out how to push the boundaries. So I'm curious to see where the next couple years will go, because I do feel like I'm at the beginning of something. And that's always interesting to feel terrified, and also very excited at the same time.”
