Files
Download Thumbnail Sheet (187 KB)
Download bass wood, bandsaw box (70 KB)
Download cast sterling silver, carved ring (9 KB)
Download sterling silver, hollow form, hammered ring (6 KB)
Download labradorite gem bezel setting in sterling silver (5 KB)
Download hand swen and riveted bag (13 KB)
Download cardboard, hot glue (10 KB)
Download cast sterling silver, found object (4 KB)
Download mitered box, walnut, cherry (28 KB)
Download cast sterling silver, found object (4 KB)
Download bass wood, bandsaw box (15 KB)
Download bass wood, bandsaw box (69 KB)
Download cast sterling silver, carved ring (7 KB)
Download labradorite gem bezel setting in sterling silver (5 KB)
Download hand swen and riveted bag (14 KB)
Download black velvet ottoman (389 KB)
Download pierced and etched copper (15 KB)
Download copper and sterling silver (243 KB)
Download white oak side table, ebonized black (54 KB)
Download bass wood (15 KB)
Download garden motif (89 KB)
Academic Level at Time of Creation
Junior
Date of Creation
Fall 12-12-2024
Artist Statement
My works explore personal ties to my living environment and need for comfort. Comfort is something that I often think about because I spent so much of my life feeling uncomfortable in my mind and body. My works consist of many materials, but I mainly work in metals and wood, and my process relies heavily on hands-on experimentation. I’ve had experience crafting, but I have never been so meticulous with my work before now.
One of the works I included is a domed ring that mocks the shape of a pillowy or cushioned object even though it is made of metal. Another work is a jewelry box that looks like a couch, made to keep personal items. There is humor that can be found in this piece due to it being a place to keep personal items, but a couch is typically where you would lose such items.
While I take being an artist seriously, I do not think all of your artwork has to be serious. These works represent my personality and show the absurdist and ironic side of me. There is humor that can be found throughout all of these pieces. The nostalgic aspect of the pieces also helps convey a sense of contentedness and comfort throughout these works.
My influences within the design world have impacted how I view making art. Wharton Essherick stated “If it isn’t fun, it isn’t worth doing,” and those are words that I stand by wholeheartedly. I don’t think that being an artist should be seen as a job you have to perform, you should be having fun and making things that speak to you as a person. Angela Delarmente created works with metals and speaks on how she enjoys being able to take such a hard material and bend and shape it to soft, intricate designs. That outlook on metalsmithing has shaped the way I look at metalsmithing.
Advisor/Mentor
Sarah Martin; Jeanne Beaver; Mike Martin
Description
Bird ring; cast sterling silver, 5mm x 18mm x 18mm
Domed Ring; hollow formed sterling silver, 6mm x 21mm x 21mm
Between the Cushions; Bass wood, 9" x 14" x 6"
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Neal, Cameron, "Professional Blends" (2024). Professional Practices (ART 399). 171.
https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/art399/171