Although she has only been casting in bronze for 6 years Ann Fleming is already recognized as an award winning bronze artist. Her work can be found in collections and galleries along the west coast.

Ann Fleming had been a full-time professional potter for over 25 years, specializing in highly-decorated functional ware and architectural work such as tile, sinks and lighting. In 2004, feeling the years of the physical demands of pottery and longing for change, Fleming sculpted her first figurative piece in clay. Though sculptural elements have always been strong throughout her career, there had always been a practicality or utility to her work. She soon realized that her new sculptural work also had a function: it told stories.

Fleming approaches her work with the skills of her years as a potter. Her original pieces are hand built out of coils of pottery clay, a technique reminiscent of earlier cultures. Says Fleming, “I do not draw my pieces first. I build coil by coil. I cut and pound and shape and smooth with a sense of the movement and form I am trying to capture, by allowing intuition to be my guide I am often surprised by where each piece is taken. I am drawn to simple, uncomplicated forms and I close the eyes. There is a sense of vulnerability with closed eyes and and I feel that the simplicity of form allows the viewer to be drawn into the story.”

Fleming is a lifelong resident of Oregon and is very active in her professional community. She has served as Chair of “Art in the Pearl,” a premium arts event in Portland, Oregon and served on the board for over 10 years. She received her training and a Bachelor’s degree in art and teaching from Portland State University, and went on to earn her Master’s degree in the same fields from Lewis and Clark College. Fleming taught full time after college but her studio work was a calling she could not ignore.

Artist Statement: My work tells stories. I have tried to capture a kind of innocence or essence, the enchantment of believing in something bigger than ourselves…or the simple joy of being human. In a way, these pieces are like fairy tales. I draw from the well of my own experiences, of all of our experiences. Sometimes a shape comes to mind and brings with it its own story, but often times a story comes and calls out its own shape.