Irene Renee Wiley

I grew up in the Western United States, camping on the Pacific in the summer, in the desert in the winter and the mountains in between. Every where we went we were taught to appreciate nature, whether it was the rich abundance of the Cascade mountains or the beauty of the dry Mohave desert. I went to Hawaii to learn to scuba dive and was introduced to another whole world of life, and a new love.
I currently live in the mountains of New Mexico, far from any ocean, and I create my sea jewels in pottery fired with rich glazes that change in the light much like the fish they represent.

I have tried to make my artwork reflect the essence of my experiences, whether it is the graceful line of a sleeping cat, or the changing iridescence of the fish underwater. I have worked with clay for over 25 years. The combination of earth, water and fire to create form, function and art has always inspired me to new challenges. I have studied art everywhere I have traveled, looking for new perspectives and different techniques, new and old.

I hope that in seeing my work, people will see the magic of the world around us, and want to reach out to touch nature’s beauty.