Files
Download Thumbnail Sheet (42.6 MB)
Download Resume (7 KB)
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Download "oatmeal", ceramic, 24”x 12”x 9”, 2019 (1.5 MB)
Download "oatmeal", alternate view, ceramic, 24”x 12”x 9”, 2019 (2.0 MB)
Download "isbell", ceramic, 11”x 6”x 6”, 2019 (2.1 MB)
Download "tabors", ceramic, 8”x 6”x 6”, 2019 (1.5 MB)
Download "brookshire", ceramic, 7”x 4”x 4”, 2019 (1.4 MB)
Download "canter", ceramic, 10”x 4”x 4”, 2019 (1.5 MB)
Download "norris", ceramic, 8”x 5”x 5”, 2019 (1.6 MB)
Download "riley", ceramic, 6”x 4”x 4”, 2019 (1.3 MB)
Download "stephens", ceramic, 11”x 5”x 5”, 2019 (1.6 MB)
Download "stephens", alternate view, ceramic, 11”x 5”x 5”, 2019 (1.5 MB)
Download "mitchell", ceramic, 9”x 6”x 6”, 2019 (1.4 MB)
Download "lambert", ceramic, 6.5”x 4”x 4”, 2019 (1.5 MB)
Download "Psychological Self Portrait", charcoal, 22"x 30", 2017 (3.2 MB)
Download "Hands", charcoal, 18"x 24", 2016 (3.1 MB)
Download "Giraffe", digital, 2018 (630 KB)
Download "Starburst", chalk pastel, 22"x 30" , 2017 (1.9 MB)
Download "Painted Self Portrait", oil on canvas paper, 16"x 20" , 2019 (2.4 MB)
Download "Overcast Tree", ink, 22"x 30" , 2017 (4.0 MB)
Download "Prince", charcoal, 22"x 30", 2017 (2.8 MB)
Download "Scribble Drive", ink, 18"x 24", 2019 (5.6 MB)
Academic Level at Time of Creation
Senior
Date of Creation
Spring 5-5-2020
Artist Statement
The purest form of pleasure is found in simplicity; holding something meant to be held, touching a surface meant to be touched. My sculptural ceramic work focuses on embracing the childlike desire to reach out and touch. The textures visible on the sculptures heighten the viewer’s inclination to feel what they are seeing. Just as mugs are created to meet the lips of the drinker, my sculptures are built to meet the contours of the holder’s hands. This mirrors the effect of holding a child or caressing a loved one.
Many of my sculptures begin as a flat surface, created to meet the ground or table in such a way that implies growth, flourishing into a form resembling a figure with an enormous amount of life and energy. Although the form doesn’t necessarily mirror the figure exactly, it mimics elements found in the figure; curves, bumps, concaving surfaces, etc.
My chosen medium is clay because clay is natural, found on this earth, manipulated by hand. Clay is a living organism, growing and collapsing with the elements. The clay has memory, it remembers how it was formed, built. It can embrace the hand of the potter, or choose to reject it. I find beauty in the fact that ceramic failures can be recycled into something greater. The majority of my early sculptural endeavors collapsed or cracked in relation to the speed at which I was building and, as a result, were recycled. Now, I embrace impurities, honesty.
As I continue learning, I experiment more with different surfaces as well as the meanings behind them. The cracks, glaze drips, streaks, and imperfect surfaces remind me of the human body and the many imperfections associated with it; birth marks, scars, stretch marks, etc. No one is without imperfections; flaws provide character, personality. My work is meant to empower those who interact with it and give them a sense of safety and security by encouraging them to embrace impurities and less-than-perfect.
Advisor/Mentor
John Utgaard / Mike Martin
Description
A small portfolio consisting of high and low fire ceramic, drawings, a painting, and graphic work. Themes centered around body image and relationships.
Recommended Citation
Mitchell, Emma, "Emma Mitchell" (2020). Professional Practices (ART 399). 91.
https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/art399/91