Artist Statement
Everything is constantly changing, but there are moments that I wish I could hold onto forever. I work primarily in ceramics because it is both as fragile as the fleeting present, yet it has proven to withstand the brutality of time. Through this medium I attempt to immortalize the bittersweet experience of life. I utilize abundant texture, and animate forms in my work in order to create a sensually indulgent experience to be shared with the viewer. Each piece I create is rooted in love for the people, places, and experiences that I have encountered during my time on Earth; existing in the space between grief and celebration.
In my work I appropriate historical Catholic art and narratives that I grew up around in order to create my own autobiographical mythology. I create figurative sculptures that reflect experiences such as suffering, ecstasy, and bliss that are commonly portrayed in Catholic art. During the baroque period the Catholic church commissioned work that would inspire a passion for God. In a similar vein, I create art with the hope of inspiring a passion for life. Most figures that I conceive are ambiguous in age, gender, race, and sometimes in species. My intention is to depict a narrative that is both strange and familiar. One that has the potential to be universally understood while empowering the viewer to create their own story.
"Ecstasy", ceramic and house paint, 22"x26"x38"
"Le mort de Don Juan", ceramic and house paint, 20"x20.5"x25"
"Womb", ceramic and house paint, 16"x11"x25.5"
"Mother", ceramic and house paint, 34"x11.5"x66"
"Bird Feeder", ceramic and house paint, 12"x9"22.5"
Exhibition
"Bird", back detail
"Bird", detail
"Bird", detail
"Womb", detail
"Womb", detail
"Mother", detail
"Mother", detail
"Bird Feeder", detail
"Ecstasy", detail
"Ecstasy", detail
"Ecstasy", detail
Acknowledgments
Thank you to everyone who made this body of work possible. I want to thank all of the Professors at appstate for their role in my artistic development beginning from my freshman year until my final day in the studio. Thank you to the professors in the ceramic department, Lisa Stinson, Andrew Bailey Arend, Phyllis Kloda, and Andrea Keys Connell for guiding me throughout my time in the studio and pushing me to my artistic limits. Thank you to sculpture professor Travis Donovan who was there to help when my piece “Mother” tragically broke at the ankles at the end of her construction. Without your presence I would have probably lost my mind. Thank you to all of the students, studio members, and friends who helped me through the emotional ups and downs of the creative process. I truly learned what community during my time in the Appstate art department, and I will forever be grateful for my time there. I will always look back on this period as one of the best times of my life.
Special thanks to our thesis advisor Phyllis Kloda and my personal mentor Andrea Keys-Connell. There are no words to describe how much their presence means to me. Thank you so much.
Last, but not least, thank you to Abbey Adams for taking these wonderful photos of my senior exhibition. The following are her socials and contact information: