artist statement

As far as our current collective knowledge is concerned, death is permanent.

 

Humans have been reflecting upon the recognition of their own mortality for thousands of years. We are exhibiting an emotion known as existential dread - a feeling of fear or discomfort towards the realization that we will cease to exist one day, that our days are finite. 

 

These feelings of terror and helplessness often diverge into further fears of regret, time, purpose, cosmic insignificance, and the unknown, affecting aspects of our life, identity, and thought. My work primarily serves as a conversation delving into these topics of existential dread and paranoia, discussing the ways in which these fears affect our everyday lives as well as addressing the validity in their existence. Through functional ceramics pieces and decorative wall hangings, I aim to bring philosophical discussion into the everyday. I use surreal, mystical, and sometimes chaotic imagery to create narratives built on relatable characterizations and subject matter. 

 

I am inspired by genres of cosmic horror and pop surrealism to create dreamscapes, both nightmare and fantasy, which reflect positive and negative thoughts within our subconscious. I throw my forms on the wheel, but often alter and build off of them later to create a unique canvas that enhances my surface design. I layer techniques of mishima, sgraffito, underglazes, and slip to create layers of varied aesthetic elements. My work is bright and colorful, contrasting with the dark content, as a way to remind the viewer that these fears are valid and human. It is the way we cope with them that differs amongst us.