Kylie Conaway ART 399 Portfolio

Author/Artist Name

Kylie ConawayFollow

Files

Academic Level at Time of Creation

Senior

Date of Creation

Fall 12-8-2022

Artist Statement

Through my work I strive to create a sense of completeness and contentment. I make my art for others so that they can have something meaningful in this chaotic world. Ceramics is one of my main focuses because I enjoy the amount of control I feel when I throw something on a wheel. The tranquility and peacefulness I feel from it can't match anything else. In day to day life I am a very unorganized, scattered brain student; but as soon as I start working on ceramics or photography I can become the most serious person you have ever met.

The process for my pieces revolves around others. I very much enjoy giving but I prefer to create from a vague idea than a solid one. I believe in a sense that clay has a mind of its own. The more you try to force it to look like one thing you can end up getting a completely different outcome. I start with a simple idea of an object such as a vase. As I start to begin the process of deciding how big and what theme I want to go with, I slowly sink into a rhythm of building the clay up and working on the thickness. While creating a piece of work I do not focus much on what I want but on what others would enjoy. My artwork is almost always functional. I make a lot of vases and bowls, but I enjoy making tea pots, cups, or mugs. Anything anyone could use on a daily basis. Recently I have started experimenting with photography and the different ways to tell a story and express emotions through it. With photography, I enjoy having the ability to look at things from a different angle. To move in close and show the little details that aren’t always seen at first glance. There's a sense of mystery, clarity and stillness with each photograph the closer I get to an object.

My artwork is mostly inspired by the people and objects around me. In particular I would have to say I have been influenced by Tara Wilson's functional ceramics. Her pieces have a lot of movement and are often very figurative. A lot of the time I get caught up in the basic form of a mug or bowl and I forget that the soft skin of the pot could be altered and manipulated. These different styles I feel are very satisfying and calming and something I would like to experiment more with in the near future. In photography I have explored different views and styles and have developed an interest in up close photography and will be experimenting with it as well.

Advisor/Mentor

Timothy Martin

Description

For this exhibition I wanted to push myself to make things that would grab the viewers attention. My goal was to make the viewers what to get close to my art to see the little details in the glazes and photographs. My ceramics pieces are functional everyday mug and vases. They each hold their own personal designs, from the warmth of coloring on some to the crackling effects on others. My photography focuses more on the up-close aspect. Getting so close to an object and being able to see all the details you couldn't see before which is what I strived to do with all my pieces.

Photo Credit

Kylie Conaway

Recommended Citation

Conaway, Kylie, "Kylie Conaway ART 399 Portfolio" (2022). Professional Practices (ART 399). 137.
https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/art399/137