Photography by Ashley Joanna

Caroline DeFelice is a primarily self-taught ceramic artist based in coastal New Jersey. Working between wheel thrown and hand built sculpture, DeFelice is interested in clay as a shape-shifting medium: amorphous to defined, liquid to dust, sturdy yet fragile. She views the cyclical nature of processing and working with clay as an extension of her feminine experience, as well as deterioration and rebirth exhibited in nature. Her vessels navigate conflicting ideas of surrender and control, sensuality and self-protection. 

Studying the architecture and intelligence of organic forms, particularly seashells and seed pods, has influenced her current approach to proportion, rhythm, and surface. Her current focus blends her experience with chronic pain and healing, with research on how mollusks construct their shells and adapt to injury. DeFelice formulates unique glazes which call upon natural processes of erosion, sedimentation and the crystallization of minerals found in coastal habitats. 

She understands clay as a life form in itself, holding memory — recording touch, pressure, states of hydration, and other elements. The human body’s history and conditioning influences the body of clay, and finished pieces develop relationships with those who handle them, creating a continuous dialogue. 

Her work has been featured in group exhibitions at Parlor Gallery in Asbury Park, NJ and at Chashama in Matawan, NJ.