THE INTRODUCTION
In the February 2021 edition of Studio Potter, Marion Angelica interviewed several ceramists to find the positive impact a year in quarantine might have provided. It was a survey intended to train our hearts and minds toward the proverbial silver lining. One artist she spoke with was Daniel Velasquez.
“After eight years of establishing a ceramics career, and some significant soul searching, Daniel Velasquez (San Francisco, California) decided he would separate his income-generating livelihood from his art making. He wants to apply his creativity to a career in sustainable, artistic building and construction. He is currently working in construction and learning plumbing with an eye to finding ways to better use water and studying electricity in order to make batteries from graphite and ceramics.”
It felt like there was more of a story here than one paragraph allowed, and I was curious about the development of a battery made from graphite and clay. Initially it seemed the conversation would be highly technical, but as we chatted, it became apparent that philosophical revelations were the order of the day.
