Artists Statement

My artist practice predominantly explores the theme of eyes with a focus on eye contact, and its relation to love and human connection. I examine this relation though both ceramics and printmaking. Perhaps what we seek, what we crave, is human connection, eye contact, and love.

Printmaking Studio 

‘You couldn’t hear me crying’

Linocut print on cotton rag paper

‘You couldn’t hear me crying’ is a series containing both single and jigsaw linocut prints. These prints together represent feelings of abandonment. This work is inspired by the lyrics of ‘A Leo Underwater’ by Daffodils that describes the feeling of abandonment in friendship. “You spent the whole summer underwater, that’s why you couldn’t hear me crying, you haven’t loved, you haven’t loved, and you spent the whole summer with your head so full of flowers”. 

 

 

‘Untitled’

Mixed media collage

‘Untitled’ is a collaged zine filled with hand drawn eyes using oil pastel, acrylic paint markers, and graphite. The zine explores the idea of connections felt immediately through eye contact, and how we crave these meaningful connections with one another. Not only do I believe the deepest human connections are engaged through eye contact, but I also find it interesting how eye contact allows us to be vulnerable without speaking. This vulnerability intrigues me as our eyes can communicate both compassion and understanding.

 

 

‘Seeking’

Mixed media collage on cotton rag paper

‘Seeking’ is an abstract mixed media collage poster that confronts the traditional functions of a poster. Posters are traditionally used to capture a moving audience with a message, requiring little time to deliver the message. This poster, however, causes the viewer to stop and think about what the message is as it is not immediately evident, allowing the viewer to form their own meaning. The poster has hidden the word “seeking” in amongst the collage allowing the viewer to actively seek while viewing the image. This also challenges the viewer to think about what they are seeking in their own life. 

 

 

‘Untitled’

Hard ground etching on cotton rag paper 

‘Untitled’ is a hard ground etching inspired by Marina Gonzalez Eme’s abstract drawings. The work captures what appears to be a female figure in a seated position. This position is however not immediately evident to the viewer as I’ve chosen to visually distort the pose. I am interested in the way Eme uses visual distortion in her work, as I believe it enhances the visual impact and creates interest. Eme draws women to capture their strong self confidence, something the artist wishes to feel herself. Perhaps Eme draws eyes to connect with the figure’s self confidence. The eyes featured in this work seem detached from the figure entirely, as if they have their own conscience. These eyes perhaps represent the figure’s craving for human connection, a craving to feel seen by others. To feel seen and connected with one another, the way we do through eye contact. 

 

 

‘Kindness’

Collaged concertina book

‘Kindness’ is a collaged concertina book narrating an original poem on kindness. The poem is a light-hearted and warm description of kindness. That is, until the last line where the reader is pulled back with the realisation that such a good, pure behaviour is not heard, seen, or felt as often as it should.

 

Text outline

Kindness is understanding.

Kindness is powerful,

Gentle and caring.

Kindness is helpful.

Kindness is pure.

Kindness is warm.

Kindness is a cure.

Kindness is an art form.

Kindness is an open mind.

It’s a wonder how kindness could be so hard to find.

 

 

Ceramics Studio

‘An unspoken connection’

White Raku

‘An unspoken connection’ combines rearranged facial features to create a new abstract form. The simplified eyes captivate the viewer with their ambiguous shape, raising questions of what it is, and what it means. This piece explores eye contact as an unspoken connection felt between two people that can be both unsettling and desired. This connection helps us express our emotions and feelings toward others. 

 

 

‘Dinner’s ready’

Walkers 10 slip cast

This piece consists of six functional ceramic bowls. These bowls represent a family connection and the importance of family culture. ‘Dinner’s ready’ demonstrates a family habit of stacking bowls on the bench when dinner is ready. Each bowl is a symbol of my family members, capturing a memory of what our household once was. Slowly these bowls will disappear as us daughters grow older and move away from home. 

  

 

‘Untitled’

Keane’s Midfire 6 white clay and white speckled clay

This vessel is a hand built pot made with white speckled clay using coil building, free forming, and hollowing techniques. The ceramic eye tiles hung on the wall use the same free forming and hollowing techniques with white clay, adding to the effect of the vessel. This work explores human connectivity through eye contact. It is through eye contact that we feel deeply connected with others allowing us to build stronger relationships. While we may desire this deep connection, eye contact can put us into a position of vulnerability, making it difficult to look others in the eye. The ambiguous shape of the ceramic eyes enhances this difficulty as viewers are not entirely certain of the forms they are viewing. 

 

 

 

Additional images