Paula Shalan

Ceramics

Paula Shalan, Seed Pods (2020). Ceramic. Dimensions: Specimen trays: 3” h x 18” w x 7.5” d and 3” h x 17.5” w x 10.5” d. ©Paula Shalan 2020. Courtesy of the artist.

Globally, seed variety is declining at an alarming rate as humans decimate forests to make way for single-crop mega-plantations. Paula Shalan’s seedpods underscore the value of seed diversity in maintaining a healthy forest ecosystem and in adapting to the challenges of a changing climate.

Hand-built with local clay and fired with recycled fuel, Shalan’s seedpods also embody a message of hope, evoking an image of “the dormant seed laying quiet, ready to burst forth with its unique contribution to a healthy ecosystem.”