Artist Statement

In today’s political climate, stepping outside of the binary equates to fighting for survival. If society insists on categorizing us as either male or female, then I am other; always in a constant state of exploration regarding my gender identity. As a nonbinary artist, my work is deeply rooted in exploring my relationship with gender and discovering my sense of self in the rural South. My background, growing up in rural Tennessee, has taught me that being anything outside of societies “normal” you will be ostracized and ridiculed. This caused me from a young age to believe in the notion that identity is a secret to be hidden. Through abstract art, I conceal my queer journey while still allowing connections to be formed with the community around me. This abstraction allows me to hide my queerness from plain sight. While openly speaking about my experiences could make me a target, my sculptures offer a subtler language—a kind of queer camouflage.

Through the use of amorphous forms, I break away from the traditional functionality of clay vessels, using textures made from coils of clay and fabric to reflect the confusion of discovering queerness in an unaccepting society. I choose to work with clay because it is a material that has been part of human history and creation for millennia. It is inherently grounding, through both its materiality and my process. The use of fabric represents the long history of fiber arts within my family, a matriarchal line I feel obligated to carry- a womanhood I was raised in and cannot fully let go. My slow, meditative process of coiling provides space to reflect on my gender and place in the world, allowing me to consider whether I want to remain quiet about my queerness or give myself and my art a louder voice. But how do I do this when I was raised to keep silent about “taboo” topics? How do I change all that I have been engrained to believe as truth? I hope through my art, I can explore my questions and share my journey as a queer artist.