Wishing Ovens background story

I was experiencing an overwhelming feeling of loss, anger and helplessness after the russian invasion began, and that experience was shared by millions of Ukrainians worldwide. People needed a miracle, some calling out to higher powers of whatever their belief system, some searching for belief systems to follow. I, too, was calling out for a miracle, and decided to make a tool for casting wishes. This was for me, my new belief system.

The ritual of spell-casting or wish-making in most cultures, religions and cults involves fire or burning. My idea was to create a deity-style, altar-centre, icon-like figure that ultimately became an oven. The flowers adorning the head are a nod to the traditional Ukrainian headdress, and the horns are to signify the possible nature of some wishes I wanted to cast.

I shared some of the making on Instagram, and the response was surprising and very positive- the public named them Wishing Ovens, and I began raising money for a children’s charity in Ukraine in exchange for “casting wishes”. This happened before I bisque fired the sculptures and it truly felt magical. 

To date, this work is the most satisfying and significant in my ceramic career. Not because of the challenge of the making or design process, but because of the difference it made to some people’s lives; it was the first time I truly felt that what I made matters.