As a huge fan of the unknown, I take pride in knowing oddities in the animal kingdom. I cannot exactly describe where or when this fascination occurred, but it is something I also seem to go back to for inspiration. While I am unable to share all my favorite animals, these will serve as a way of sharing some of the many animals who I believe deserve more recognition than they are given. My work aims to give insight into some lesser known animals that are on the verge of extinction. Broken Creatures was inspired by my artistic process of shattering ceramic plates and tearing apart recycled paper. In this way, both the materials they are made of and their separation from their natural surroundings are highlighted.
The idea to create 'Broken Creatures' out of mosaic sculptures came after my cross-cultural experience in Spain. While traveling throughout the country, I encountered several murals and the occasional mosaic souvenir. Wanting to create something with Spanish influence and a touch of my stylistic artwork, which led to my current exhibition work. The way I chose some of my animals was due to their geographic location and their respective ceramic pattern designs in those regions. South Asia is home to the sunda pangolin, central North America to the black footed ferret; and the United States and central Mexico are home to the little brown bat, which can be found through the Alaska-Canadian boreal forests. Furthermore, central China is home to both the Chinese giant salamander and the Yangtze finless porpoise. Due to the rich history of these locations, I painted each animal with unique ceramic patterns that were found at these places. As an additional eco-friendly element, I used recycled materials in the construction of these sculptures.
Through trial and error, I was able to find the perfect ratio of clay to paper. The actual process of shattering ceramic pieces along with minimalist painting made for a stress relieving process. The overall outcome of my pieces highlights my personal style through a nonconventional art technique.
