Made of the Earth
by these hands
Shinaid Jane Grace is the artist and maker of Earthsol clay objects.
Her art is her spirituality and is deeply intertwined with the earth and natural rhythms. Shinaid makes objects with the intention of connecting people more deeply with themselves through ritual — whether that be a warm morning beverage, adorning an altar with found objects that enrich ones connection with place, or deep in ceremonial spaces.
An honouring of natural object.
“For the past year and a half I have been exploring a new function through clay, which I call earth altars. These organic forms, with all their nooks and crannies for found objects, hold the potential to create deeper relationships with land and place. The objects that we collectors gather often end up on windowsills or in little boxes tucked away. By gathering objects together in an altar their story begins to change. One’s own interactions deepen in connection to land and place where the object may have been found. In this intentional and playful exploration meaningful relationships with earth are created.”
The process of becoming…
Since her time at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design from 2014-2017, Shinaid has discovered the joy of teaching. She has worked with elders, adults, and children, hosted workshops such as “Let’s Make Teapots”, and has opened the medium of clay to numerous people for their first time.
In recent years Shinaid has become a regular instructor at two studios in Wolastoqiyik territory known as Fredericton: Open Your Art and Claytime with Jackie. She hosts weekly classes on hand-building, intro to pottery, and intermediate wheel throwing.
“I have learnt so much about myself through being an educator and have been thinking more deeply about this craft through my students. These experiences are incredibly valuable to me. I really love being a spaceholder and an educator and I think that I will be doing this in some capacity until the end of time.”