Description of Work

when i enjoyed living as a husk - 2022 - enameled copper, laser engraving, nickel silver, brass, acrylic - Not For Sale

blistering toward the event horizon - 2022 - enameled copper, laser engraving, nickel silver, brass, acrylic - Not For Sale

please burst my bubble - 2022 - enameled copper, laser engraving, nickel silver, brass, acrylic - Not For Sale

car - 2022 - enameled copper, laser engraving, nickel silver, brass, acrylic - Not For Sale

headspike - 2022 - enameled copper, laser engraving, nickel silver, brass, acrylic - Not For Sale

claws - 2022 - enameled copper, laser engraving, nickel silver, brass, acrylic - Not For Sale

blue girl - 2022 - enameled copper, laser engraving, nickel silver, brass, acrylic - Not For Sale

pokey pete - 2022 - enameled copper, laser engraving, nickel silver, brass, acrylic - Not For Sale

Artist's Statement

Our world’s flow of time has once again been rendered to this story of before and after, BC and AD. As our world continues to round the corner through this liminal era, it’s important to recognize not only the trauma one might hold onto, but also releasing any predisposed ideas or feelings you have of yourself.

After struggling to find my path for this project I stumbled upon an epiphany. The same “epiphany” that’s followed me throughout life. “It’s not perfect, it’s never going to be perfect.” It used to be really hard for me to accept this idea at all. I used to pine for perfection, fighting desperately to make sure I’m always following the recipe, feeling panicked if the simplest thing went array. Holding myself back due to how something may appear to others. But now the curtain has been pulled back and has allowed me to see what’s really out there.

Through my experiences of working with copper, I’ve created this connection between the metal and the human spirit. Both are capable of enduring immense stress while also having the potential to be shaped and formed into something beautiful. However, the shaping required for both parties comes from the pounding of a hammer, the slicing of a blade, or perhaps the intense heat of a flame. Endlessly both the copper and the spirit are cast through several trials in order to achieve what some may call beauty. Enameling, much like a lot of fine arts practices, is a layering process. While working with this process it became clear to me that this layering is a vehicle for more than just color. It expresses the layers of emotions one experiences through their trial. When I engage the process of laser engraving my pieces, I think of how this is a mark that will never come off and I connect that to being the scars left after the release. I try to exaggerate this idea through my use of imagery and its graphic content. I focused my attention on a scratchy style of line work to illustrate a cutting sensation. Showcasing the repetition of a cutting release.

Working with this process and body of work has been rather transformative for me. It’s opened my eyes to the possibilities of my future. It’s a body of work that has completely engulfed my world and carried me to a higher understanding of myself and how I might fit in this world. I’ve poured past and present strife within these pieces and I feel lighter because of this.  

If you wish to purchase any of these pieces, please contact the gallery director, Jacqueline Nathan (jnathan@bgsu.edu.)