Horse With No Name

Horse With No Name

Tanner, Sadie

Horse With No Name started from the desire to explore the use of incongruent materials. I wanted to marry ceramics and fibers in an unconventional, yet traditional way. Tradition is represented through the cross-stitched horse. My mother, who learned from her mother, taught me to sew, passing down a generational gift. It used to frustrate me immensely when I made a mistake. I felt the same feeling of exasperation sewing into a material that was not meant to be manipulated. The horse symbolizes resilience and strength, similar to the resilience and strength of my mother and grandmother, who are women that have made sacrifices to raise families despite difficult circumstances. Through the creation and ornamentation of this vessel, I triumphed over the limiting beliefs I had for myself, just like my mother and grandmother have had to do in their lives before me. While cross-stitching into my pottery, I was forced to consider the nature of the earthenware clay, cotton thread, and the ways in which they could damage each other. This work represents the careful balancing act that is all meaningful relationships. The sharp burrs inside each hole threaten to snap the thread, while the motion of the needle in and out of the fragile bisqued openings pose the danger of the entire piece crumbling.

2025