Translated from Latin: “It is a joy…[to be bound to you].”

”They were a strange lot, but look how they loved one another.” — Stanley Hauwerwas

In light of an unexpectedly difficult beginning to 2024, I wanted to make pottery that celebrated the miracle of friendship. The textures on this cup imitate my wild emotions and the scars on my right knee after ACL surgery in April. Being embodied can be such a messy and inconvenient reality sometimes, but consolation came in the forms of being handed a popsicle or sharing a refreshing drink when I couldn’t even stand on my own.

There is a Latin phrase subtly stamped on this tumbler’s edge. “In adversis etiam fida” translates to “In adversity, even faithful.” Three cheers for the ones who hold us dear, especially when we don’t feel lovable.