Danielle Hawk was born in Baltimore, Maryland. In 2016 she received a Bachelors of Science in Art Education and General Fine Arts. She currently teaches ceramics for Baltimore County Public Schools and Towson University. In 2022 she received her MFA  in studio arts with a concentration in ceramics from Towson University. 

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Using domestic objects as an extension of self my work aims to challenge the ideas of perfection and self-doubt. Using their function as a metaphor for productivity and social performance, their uselessness becomes a symbol of the impossibility of achieving societal calls for constant perceived perfection. The weight of the object’s uselessness exposed as a projection of my own identity. 

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The domestic objects are created in contrast; the ‘perfect’ thrown piece compared to the ‘imperfect’ hand-built body cast replica. Traditional utilitarian ceramic ware can be assessed based on well-established industry standards: smooth surface, comfortable function, well formulated glaze, and consistent thickness. These standards gave me a clear binary of “good” or “bad” ceramics on which I fixated. I came to recognize that my obsession over perfection caused irritability and disappointment when my expectations, self-imposed or otherwise, were not met. This is true of my work and of my personal life. While this revelation was specific to me, these feelings of frustration and inadequacy are a shared experience. The portrait like quality of the objects seek to encourage open and honest conversation.\

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By juxtaposing paired objects, texture, process, or tone I test our preconceived notions of correctness, and peer through the veil of social performance. I am excited by the perceived imperfections; for me these moments are rebellion from the stringent standards that I, like so many others, have beholden myself.