Dorothy focuses on shapes and textures from ferns, leaves, rocks, hand crocheted doilies, and other found objects. She presses these textures into slabs of porcelain, creating organic pots that come to life in glazes of greens, blues, reds, and deep purple. She is a teacher and artist who is deeply devoted to the promotion of ceramics in Oregon.

“I have always seen clay as organic in substance and form, and have been drawn to the earth nature, and it’s colors. It is out of this core inspiration that I create my pottery.”

Working in a wide range of media, but specializing in glass and metal, Zoe Bacon informs her art and craft with foundational work in Pittsburgh and Bellingham—the steel and the glass of her story. She likes to work both large and small. At the one end are large, graceful kiln-formed glass panels, bowls, and architectural pieces. At the other end, her serious study of color and light are stunningly evident in her blown vases, glasses, jugs, and globes, while her delight in whimsey is shared in her garden ornaments and critters.

Gardens play a large role in Zoe’s life and art. Many of her pieces, particularly her gates, benches, and fences, decorate private and public spaces. According to the needs of each project, these larger installations are crafted of glass, stainless steel, or wood. She is also available for consultation.

I love creating sculpture. For more than twenty years, I restored architectural ornament on historic terra cotta and stone buildings, and designed and created sculpture for new construction.This work has influenced my own fine art in both philosophy and technique.

Classical architectural ornament is drawn from nature. Sculptures of acanthus, oak, laurel, fruit-and-flower garlands, are a 2,000 year old tradition honoring the relationship between civilization and nature. Human beings crave the comfort of civilization and the vitality of nature. The juxtaposition of architectural sculpture inspired by nature is deeply-rooted in our cultural DNA. It’s called Biophillia. My art is a continuation of this classical tradition as it explore relationships between the living world and the built environment.

In a modern world of increasingly virtual experiences, I continue this tradition of nature-inspired art and architecture. I believe that art about our long-standing relationship with the living Earth is healing and is art that will speak to future generations.