Abbie Preston- Statement

Art is freedom. I view it not only as an outlet, but a platform for my feelings and beliefs whether socially, politically, or religiously. It reveals my emotions when words cannot be found or used. It is one of the few things that I am truly passionate about.  It has already been a rocky road to becoming the artist I am today.  Accepting my artwork and style was a huge step in my individual growth.  With this acceptance came confidence, something that is still being developed.  I don’t think you can ever stop learning about yourself or your ability, but in this process of learning, the confidence you need to make it as an artist is revealed.

In my artwork I like to discuss personal topics while allowing it to be relational. The purpose of the piece is not obviously stated in my artwork but the viewer can make their own assumptions and complete it with their own views and opinions.  Defined Reality is yet another piece that goes far beyond the elements to the concept.  This installation deals with the thoughts and opinions that we have engraved into our mind that are not easily changed.  Our reality is defined by these thoughts we have already made into truth, and are confined by the fences we put up around them.  Our relationships with other people are destined to fail when we approach them with these fences already in place.  It limits our ability to be relational and learn from others.

I was highly influenced by ceramists Mike Prather and Arthur Gonzalez.  Their exploration of the human head and medium challenged me to do the same.  I began with sketches, which lead in to coil building each piece. Once the basic form had developed I began to add character and individuality to the heads.  Once fired to cone one, I began to use watered down paint to stain the heads.  Building the surface and capturing the look of the form to match what was in my head was challenging.  After adding paint and then stripping parts of it away, I finally began to receive the texture and surface I desired.  I then cut the wood and worked with the rope and wire to create the fences around the head.  Each fence was attached by using PC-7 epoxy.  Lastly the heads were placed on old pipes that were constructed according to the desired height.

This summer gave me the freedom to explore and try new ways of making art with a medium I was somewhat familiar with.  These ideas have already begun to influence other areas of my art.  It has also started to carry over into new ideas for next semester.  Not only did this class inspire me to look at my artwork in a new way, but it challenged me to motivate myself and speak intelligently about my work.  I feel that this class has taught me things that will continue to challenge me in the upcoming semester.