Reece Carlson

My work is inspired by the odd. The strange things in the world are very interesting to me, Difference is fascinating. But more interesting that the oddities are how the people intersect with these oddities, whether they pass by without notice, or become transfixed with the strangeness of it, it is by far inspirational.

revised statement and images

My art has to do with the human body.  I think that our bodies are amazing and so forgiving, making it possible to explore earth. In my opinion, the body is to be celebrated weather it is to use, decorate or make renderings of.  I think the human body looks surreal and I view ourselves as an alien species. Our bodies are strong, too, that we are becoming the biggest survivors on the planet. I am astounded as to how different we are from the rest of life on earth and how much more intelligent we are.  To me, it is the biggest compliment to be human, knowing I am here to help protect the earth.  Only humans have that choice.

Kelli Perletti Revised Statement

Art is a form of expression so vital to communicating the human experience. My art is very wrapped up in human identity, and our interpretations of self and others. Through the exploration of these subjects, my work aims to question the individual in relationship to life experience, social constructs, and self-image. 

Through photographic mediums, my work typically portrays a female within a confined psychological space, solo and vulnerable in one way or another. This work also ties into performance pieces of a similar nature, exploring the ideas of sexuality, gender identification, and social expectation. Other areas explored through photography include the relationship between identity and family/childhood identity. 

Through sculptural mediums, I express similar ideas of psychological distress related to sexuality and identity. My sculpture work incorporates found objects and other non-traditional material, including human hair, nylon, trash, etc.

Tanya Pierson revised statement

"Karen"
ceramic, acrylic paint

"Slug Life"
ceramic, acrylic paint

"Humor is the social lubricant that helps us get over some of the bad spots."  Steve Allen

"Cock Fight"
Alabaster stone and steel

Most people believe that art has to have some kind of deep, philosophical meaning or heavy context to be considered "good art". I don't agree with that line of thinking. In these turbulent times that we live in, we need humor in our lives to help us cope with and escape from all of the chaos and drama that surrounds us. Throughout my life humor has helped me deal with many trials and tribulations. It has enabled me to grow and understand the world around me from a different perspective. They do say that "laughter is the best medicine". We play as kids. We grow up and become stuck in the trappings of adulthood, forgetting the joy of childhood and that freedom of fun and play. Humor allows us to step back and connect with that inner child again. Humor keeps us sane. This belief is the basis of my work. Firstly, I want to make people laugh; secondly, I want to make them think. There is truth in humor. In the end if all they do is laugh, I'm okay with that because I'm laughing with them.

Katie Berberick Images and New Artist Statement

By occupying a space, we are able to form a connection between past and present. My objective is to represent the merging of past culture and present identity that occurs when we interact in urban structures. Architecture can become a historical landmark as well a space for contemporary culture. As humans, we construct buildings to suit our needs, create purpose and meaning, and eventually transform to adjust to new cultural identities. Urban structures can retain elements of history while providing space for human interaction and community of today. I am interested in all spaces where people find temporary fulfillment. Community buildings, apartments, bars, hotels, and homes are places where people might enter and leave with passing time. I think of my work as a confrontation with nostalgia as I attempt to create an awareness of the impermanent and constantly evolving nature of our lives. I use line as a way of translating the movement, space, and density of the imaginary and realistic conditions. The layers of paint are like layers of time that build up on the surface of a structure and create its façade. 

Kate Snyder: Art Images & Artist Statement

Artist Statement
            I was not certain what medium I wanted to focus on when I started college, so like many college students I tried a bit of everything. I was not even certain I wanted to major in metal/ jewelry when I took the beginners class. I found it to be the most time consuming, frustrating, roller coaster-of-emotions type of medium in existence, however, after taking the class once I longed to be in the studio again, and all other mediums seemed to lack the sense of fulfillment by comparison. Most of my past work has been assigned projects that have helped me to learn many important techniques pertaining to the art of metal/jewelry making.  

Most of my jewelry work explores the uniqueness of the outdated and average objects that are easily overlooked by society today. I am inspired by 18^th and 19^th century metalwork and jewelry. My book jewelry series for example; was created due to the fact that more and more people tell me that they haven’t picked up a book in years, and probably never have for the fun of it, so I created a series of jewelry pieces that is meant to emulate the beauty of old worn leather bound books, and each enamel image on the page is intended to show a colorful glimpse of the story that the book contains. The artwork is created in hopes that the viewers spark an interest in searching for their ideal book.

I perceive most of my artwork as stepping stones. Each art piece that I have made, whether I love it or want to toss it violently out of a window, helps understand my strengths and weakness. People are always saying that hindsight is 20/20, and believe that that saying goes along with art; I am always looking at old pieces that I have made and noticing what I could have done better then, and also what I could do better now that I have learned new techniques. I believe that to be one of the most important factors of workman ship, to always go back to past work and critique your own art, and if you do not deem it finished anymore it shows that you have grown as an artist.

Artist Statement Revised - Patrick Mahoney

I have always been interested in visual stimulation of all sorts, but the photographic medium has attracted me the most. I enjoy and try to create in my own works, pieces that have highly defined depictions and concepts through versatile subject matter. It is particularly important to have the ability to depict different subject matter, through a constant and representative mode that is pertinent to my own personal style. I apply this very critically to my own photographs, and therefore try to shoot photographs of anything and everything. Whether black and white, macro or aerial, these effective photographs stand out to me and always have. Working mostly digitally, this defined and representative style is highly important for my work, as digital photography has become increasingly popular over the past decade. Therefore, I do consider myself as a graphic artist, and will commonly use video, audio, and projection within my projects. When I shoot photographs though, I strive to obtain a certain lighting aspect to with the frame, an aspect that distinguishes my work aside from common themes of photography. My photographs are constructed through the usage of external lighting systems, natural light, and reflection.