My practice is examining the quiet conversation between humans and the objects that interact in our lives. I am asking for function in forms that cannot show it on their own.
Through sculpture and everyday artifacts- woven fabric turned into blankets and towels, spun wool, baskets and functional pottery - I explore how these ordinary objects become materials of meaning that resonate far beyond their original purpose.
I examine how these objects carry with them the universal stories of history, gesture of time, memory and the act of transformation.
How can a basket remind you of a body? What does a body contain? What is the function?
A vessel can be a part of the body or an object that lives in the home. I examine how a word can convey multiple meanings and how that plays into my work.
Traditional craft is not just a method of making functional objects to live in the home but a means of inquiry; I search for a way to ask: how do our objects remember us after we’re gone?
I look to create the invisible threads of lived experiences through my work.
The objects I create are quiet mirrors by reflecting the soft evidence of our lives through the action of use. I invite the viewer to listen closely and to find in these worn surfaces the echo of their own story.
Christine Orr (b. 1993 Springfield, Massachusetts) is an interdisciplinary artist based in Richmond, Virginia, working across clay, fiber, papermaking, and poetry. Her practice explores the evolving relationship between humans and objects, considering their functional, metaphorical, and symbolic roles within material culture. Through sculpture and vessel-making, she examines how domestic and utilitarian objects shape our experiences and perceptions. She holds a BFA from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University (2015) and an MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University (2021). Her work has been exhibited nationally, including two solo exhibitions at Almas Gallery, The College of William and Mary’s Andrews Gallery, and NCECA-affiliated exhibitions. In addition to her studio practice, Christine is an educator and advocate for the local ceramics community of Richmond. She teaches ceramics at the University of Mary Washington and Virginia Commonwealth University and has also taught at The College of William and Mary and the University of Georgia’s Cortona Program in Cortona, Italy. She currently serves as the Executive Director of 43rd Street Studios in Richmond.
