Flora

Flora is an exhibition of ceramic sculptures inspired by different flower species found in the Midwest that have been combined into new botanical forms. Using hand building techniques, mostly coil and pinch methods, I have created botanical sculptures that vary in size and shape. The surfaces are lightly colored with a wash of underglaze pigments. This is to not only accentuate the warmth of the clay body, but also the textures of the hand from the pinch construction. The sculptures are displayed on the wall and wooden pedestals of varying heights with artificial turf grass on the tops, creating a display that gives an artificially natural aesthetic. The rationale for this type of display is to give the viewer a visual narrative that reflects the notions of a garden. The wooden open-faced pedestals break the white box facade and give the sculptures a sense of importance and quiet space. The ceramic sculptures in Flora represent my contradicting desires of longing for the new that parallel my fear of being trapped that have become part of my identity. The pieces do not have a singular identity, but are an amalgam of different species, many of which are native to Illinois or Indiana. The goal of this exhibition is to create a space for the viewer to engage with these sculptures, discuss, and question the identity of these botanical forms in what makes them whole.