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Academic Level at Time of Creation

Senior

Date of Creation

Spring 2017

Artist Statement

Shanice Ross

I’m attracted to the idea that the body is more than just a vessel that we exist in. I am interested in the idea of not only the body as a whole but more importantly the female body and its amazing qualities. I find that the way that the female body can carry a child and still do all the other amazing things. And along with all those amazing things are the social perceptions that we find ourselves trying to fit into. The way we see ourselves, the way the world sees us, and the way we are told to see the world. It’s all about how we connect to people and the unpredictability of the lives that we live. That each day that life could be taken and that moment of unsureness with death peaks my interest. With all these interests I feel that the ability to make something out of nothing and share a piece of you with someone else is a rare moment of vulnerability.

I take these things that I’m interested in and put them into my artwork. I like to show the viewer that social perceptions are a very big part of our lives and the relationship we have with ourselves. A lot of my art has faceless figures so that the subject of the piece has someone that could be anyone or all of us. I feel that this connects the viewer to my art and makes them think deeper about themselves. I’m attracted to very round and curved lines that to me represent a sort of softer quality of humanity, but then I challenge this softness with the harsh realities of life. The connection from person to person mirrors some aspects of making something out of nothing. I put a lot of that relationship in my vases and bowls. That idea of having a personal and intimate relationship with the clay as you are making something out of almost nothing reflects the relationships we make with those around you. I like to make art that emulates my personal relationship with the pieces that I make. The joy that I have when my hands are in the clay is what I want the viewer to feel when they look at my art. I’m intrigued by the Rococo era because the Rococo style was known for its pastel colors, curving forms, and light subject matter that placed and emphasis on pleasure. But on the other side of that I like the Impressionism era because they find the beauty of the fleeting moment. I feel like I try to bring these aspects into my art and the beauty of the small things. More importantly I am attracted to the work of Sarah Jeager and the way she takes her own spin on functional pottery and that her biggest accomplishment is that her work is featured in kitchens around the country. Her style of working inspired me in the way I like to make something out of nothing and how that creates this special and intimate relationship between potter and viewer.

Advisor/Mentor

John Utgaard

Description

stoneware ceramic dish set with Fantasy Ice and blue salt

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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