SHOP 108 Featured Artist Ruth Hesse April - May 2026 Artist Statement: I intuitively explore color and texture, drawing on my 20-year background in monotype printmaking. My approach to surface design is experimental, allowing for serendipitous discoveries. I employ a freehand vocabulary of dots, dashes, and cloud forms, creating non-repeating designs. I handbuild and throw on the wheel, and I am developing my skills in metalsmithing for jewelry. I strive to be a source of energy in the world, rather than a drain. Through my work, I hope to inspire others to find something that brings them as much joy as creating does for me. This creative process has taught me a valuable lesson about the human experience: the meaning of a piece is never truly fixed, and its worth is not solely defined by my own judgments. Just as I can create a piece I don't love and watch it become someone else's treasure, I understand that others may see a beauty in me that I am blind to. My art is a two-way street, where a piece can forge its own unique relationship with the person who takes it home. SHOP 108 for Featured Artist work starting Friday, April 3, 2026