TAHOE RIVER ROCK | Ritz Carlton Tahoe
Exploring motifs of water, fragility, and changing landscapes through ceramic wall art, Stein considers the ceramic process a metaphor for geologic and climate change. She uses the kiln to simulate geologic transformation including cracking, melting, flow and fluxing. Mapping themes of climate and place through experimental design, fire, and flux studies, Stein explores the wonder of ceramic material, the love of being near water, and laments the ever-changing landscape of Aspen. By leveraging the inherent fragility of ceramics, a theme emerges that contemplates the sublime, being and loss within the context of climate change in Northern California.
Created for the Ritz Carlton of Tahoe in collaboration with Local Language of Oakland, CA, this 45-part handmade ceramic concept honors the Truckee River and the shoreline of Lake Tahoe. Each “stone” is meticulously crafted using stoneware clay and textured by hand. The organic shapes and surfaces in each stone bring meaning and reverence to this concept, celebrating the region's pristine natural beauty.
Each stone is poured over with a glossy white glaze and then overlapped in a textured crawl glaze for a multi-surface effect. The clay was formed to 1" thick slabs, cut to shape, and hand-modeled to round the edges.
2023, Made in Sonoma, CA