Sunday Styles

Mark McMenamin, Rebecca Thienes, and Athena Waligore -- Interior Design, 11/1/2012 2:00:00 AM

Every now and then, an artist’s effort just falls flat. But for sculptor Pamela Sunday, that’s a good thing. She has translated the natural properties of her 3-D bowls, vases, and objets into 4½-inch-square and 5-by-7-inch porcelain tiles. The patterns in the initial collection draw primary inspiration from microscopic life forms, reflecting a fascination Sunday has carried with her since she was a child exploring in the woods.

But while the references remain the same, the technique represents new territory. “The glazing needs to be done quickly and spontaneously,” she says. Which is “more free and experimental compared to my sculpture work, where the process is premeditated and methodical.” Intended for wall applications, the tiles are hand decorated with numerous layers of glaze, then fired multiple times.

Sunday’s embrace of biology is obvious in designs such as Spores, Microbes, and Bio­sphere, but she also dabbles in psychiatry with Rorschach. Because all are produced by hand, every tile is unique, although custom sizes and designs are available by commission. 646-643-4101; pamelasunday.com.