In our fast paced culture, we alienate ourselves from the quiet strength of nature and we forget to see the simple beauty around us. Through my work I strive to create simple sculptural pieces that speak of timelessness, beauty, tradition and the serendipity of life. For an artist, one of the great strengths of working in ceramics is that it inherently embodies Earth, fire, water and air as well as the rich tradition of ancient cultures. In my work, I choose to marry the serendipity of Raku firing, with the tradition and timeless beauty of vitrified porcelain. In college I studied Raku. I was mesmerized by the fire and the serendipity of the glazes. The bold crackling adding texture and meaning that the artist could influence but never control. Raku pieces however are not stable. In Raku the firing is quick, just long enough for the glaze to melt. The firing is not long enough to mature the claybody. As the piece is not mature it can withstand the intense and rapid heat, however, not having been matured it often changes color and character over time. Rachel Porter lives in Massachusetts and has exhibited her sculptural vessels in galleries, exhibitions and museum gift stores since 1990. Her highly acclaimed work is represented in collections in the United States, Japan and France. Recent exhibitions include; Fired, Pence Gallery, Davis California; Feats of Clay XVI, Lincoln California; California Clay XIII, The Artery, Davis California; and California Design, San Francisco California. In my work I recreate a glazed surface reminiscent of the serendipity of the Raku crackle with the tradition of Porcelain glazes. Porcelain is beautiful, timeless, and offers an exquisite sculptural palette. Porcelain not only speaks of the four elements, but also of the rich traditions of ancient cultures. Porcelain matures after being fired over a long period of time at a very high temperature. The fired surface and glaze often remind us of ancient cultures. The vitrified finished piece will stand the test of time. Yet, porcelain is extremely difficult to work with, humbling the artist at each step. I find working in porcelain a metaphor for life. The material is fragile offering relentless technical challenges, however these challenges only enhance its beauty and allure. Through my fish pieces I hope to capture the ongoing energy of nature, and life on Earth. They symbolize the fragility of nature, the fierce competition of survival, the joy of companionship, and the strength found in the solitude of nature. During the winter months in ancient China, people kept their pet koi inside their homes in large ceramic pots so the fish would not freeze, I am inspired by these pots, the reverence for fish and the tradition of the ceramic vessel.