In Praise of Hands
New Works in Clay by Joel Moses
October 24 - November 22, 2025
Elisabeth Flynn-Chapman Gallery
Artist Statement: Joel Moses
Hands are almost living beings… only servants? Possibly. Servants, then, endowed with a vigorous, free spirit, with a physiography. Eyeless and voiceless faces which, nonetheless, see and speak… those who can see also need their hands to see with, to complete the perception by touching and holding.
The hand means action: it grasps, creates, at times it would even seem to think. In repose, the hand is not a soulless tool lying on the table… I am privileged to be surrounded by others whose hands lead them down different journeys.
Biography:
After receiving an MFA in ceramics from VCU, I ran my own pottery shop for 20 years. I had sales in several international showrooms and contributed to several books on pottery techniques. I am also in a number of museum collections in the US and Canada.
"CANDELABRA", clay, 14 X 13 X 13 inches
"SEA LIFE", clay and altered frame, 24 X 18 inches
"KISBAH CONTAINER", 8 X 8 X 8 inches
"FLOATING LID CONTAINER", clay, 13 X 8 X 8 inches
"DOUBLE WALLED VESSEL", clay, 10 X 14 X 14 inches