My family, peers and even the strangers I encounter daily are my
motivations to create. I do not research other artists with similar interests or
media to aide in my process of creation. Instead, I enjoy exploring for myself, and
perhaps then learning of similar artists or movements from professors, artist
friends and coworkers. I read often, and feel that you can never stop learning;
and I live by the words of Wade Davis when he says: “I seek escape from a
monochromatic world of monotony in hopes that I may find in a polychromatic
world of diversity the means to rediscover and celebrate the enchantment of
being human.”
For the past two years, I’ve been particularly intrigued by the idea of
identity, and of reproduction. The main question I often ask of myself and the
work I am doing is: To what degree is my medium (a casting, a trace or a
photograph) truly capable of representing an individual or a group of individuals?
I’m at an age in my life where the female time clock starts ticking; and
changes in the body, relationships, ambitions and career become a pertinent
topic of concern and discussion. When I get together with my girlfriends of my
same age, these concerns are often the focus of our discussion. Through my
thesis works, I begin addressing these age sensitive issues, along with the
various mediums I used to capture and applaud these women as a collective
whole. I wanted to showcase each woman not only as an individual but also as
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one collective, since I am fairly certain that most women of our age concern
themselves with the same issues. For a portion of my thesis exhibition, I
abandoned photography for a three-dimensional medium with added sound.
Oddly, I found that even though the elements of photography, casting and sound
are quite different, the actual process and participation are the same.
I was also intrigued by my personal identity and the identity of those that I
currently spend time with. I’m interested with how they participate in creating the
person that I am or strive to become. A second piece in my thesis began with the
photographic image, and in the end became a photograph in the round, rather
than a photograph hanging on a wall of a gallery.
In the end, the processes used, the tests, the errors, and what I learned
from the making, along with the interactions with my subjects, became the most
important parts of these projects. It’s been a long time since I ventured into the
three-dimensional world, and this was my first ever attempt at working with sound
and with a sculptural installation of my photographic work. It’s been an exciting
journey that I plan to continue, since these works will continue to evolve and
include new participants. This is something that truly excites me because I do
believe you can never stop learning, and I like the idea of these pieces not
having a final conclusion, or ending. I believe that there is no single answer to
who or what we are at any particular age in life, and I feel these projects will be a
fruitful journey for myself, my participants and the viewer as they grow and take new shape.