Fill In the Blank

Joanna Mendicino is a ceramics artist who often works with simple shapes and clean forms. Her work relies heavily on negative and positive space and the universality of a simple form. Most of her work is childlike, and it is no surprise that she gives credit for many of her designs to her childhood drawings of animals, cobblestone pathways, and pebbles.

What makes Mendicino's work so unique is that her signature design element is cutouts. Mendicino often lets negative space – or cutouts – become the design or main focal point rather than the vase itself. By allowing the cutouts to become the main focal point, rather than the vase, it offers a new perspective on traditional pottery forms.

Mendicino's work is playful, modern, and refreshing. The simplicity of the forms allows the cutout shapes to become universal in character. It is easier to imagine the shapes to be any kind of bird, leaf, or flower. Mendicino lets the imagination take its course, allowing the brain to fill in the blank.

Mendicino's designs allow the viewer to do the thinking, allowing our brain to see simple shapes become complex flowers, or our childhood home.

By filling the vase, blank spaces can become any color or texture, taking new life each time the vase is re-filled.






Images:
1. A Row of Vases, showcasing her unique designs and color options
2. Cottage Vase, from her garden life collection.