CLAIRE FOORD :: ARTIST

An artwork inspired by the festivities of December 25th!

These hand made ceramic bulbs are inspired by and represent the energy dispersed at Christmas and the lights that decorate the Christmas trees.

I feel a kinship at Christmas time and wanted to capture this in this work. I don’t believe that Christmas is just for those who consider themselves of Christian faith. Christmas is a time for everyone to come together with a spirit of compassion, craziness and camaraderie.

They are neutrally white to represent the unbiased and in being white hold the energy of innocence and new possibilities, with splash of passion in the Christmas red. There are six central decal images interspersed with one another; the birth of Christ nativity scene with a scene of Hindu gods and goddesses, Santa Claus with patron Saint Nicholas (or Nikolaos of Myra) and Jesus with Buddha, these images broadly represent the many different nationalities celebrating the Christmas spirit, even without sharing identical belief systems. When exhibiting, the candles dimly light the scene offering a sense of the serene and reminiscent of the alters of many Christian churches.

What Christmas means to others… 

“Christmas means laughing and spending time with your family and friends but most important of all is celebrating the birth of Christ.”….Jen (19) New York

“Christmas to me: A celebration of capitalism and a time where we pretend that our good behavior for the day will carry over to the rest of the year. Good food, presents, Hallmark, no school - altogether, a top-notch holiday.”…Harlequin (15) Kansas

“Christmas is a time to feel a spirit of joy and peace. It is a time to connect and feel especially close and thankful for family. It is a cozy time.”….Vickie, Indiana

“Christmas has always been my favorite time of the year. Not only for the holly and mistletoe but for the true meaning of Christmas. The birth of Christ and that is not all that it means to me it means being with family being with the people you love. I don’t think that anybody should be alone on Christmas.”….Jessica (16) Colorado

“Christmas means you have to give things to poor people.”….Brenda (13) Arizona

“Christmas to me means when you think of people that love you and the people who are loved by you, not just all the presents and the decorations. It’s all about giving and receiving and spending time with your loved ones.”….Sissy, (15) UK

Source: http://www.kidsturncentral.com/holidays/christmas/spiritof.htm