Beyond Knowing Tides by Sarah Heitmeyer

Sarah Heitmeyer

Beyond Knowing Tides

Porcelain and glazes

36 x 36 x 2 in

This piece was a result of research on the architectural element in Islamic temples called Murqarnas, as well as studying the movement of water and learning computer aided design processes. This work was about creating a focus point for a meditative moment by referencing phenomena in nature and places of spirituality.
In regard to process, I was able to orient a scallop shape to the surface of ripples to create this geometric, undulating surface. This was a very tedious task, but then I could 3D print a plastic prototype to cast a plaster mold around. The tiles are slip cast from the plaster molds and glazed with custom glazes. By using symmetry, I created a mandala very similar Murqarnas, and used glaze to highlight the shapes and pool in the valleys. The tiles hang individually on custom designed hardware and the piece comes with a hanging template.