Madison Wick
Bloom
I see my work as a study of relationships and personal growth. My focus in this body of work is on the relationship with oneself, the relationship between two mediums, and the relationship between the artist and the art. Living in the pandemic world as we know it, we are often forced to sit with ourselves, by ourselves. This can either be a period of growth or undoing. With my artwork, I want to show a progression of becoming comfortable with oneself in both literal and abstract views. The fiber wall pieces show the evolution of body image and acceptance in somewhat literal and figurative ways. In contrast, the ceramic pieces show development and growth in a more organic and abstract sense.
With this body of work, I set out to discover the relationship between my artwork and myself. I find myself making art that I believe others will perceive as adequate, which has only brought more stress toward the process and disappointment in my final pieces. Throughout my schooling, I have been so focused on the product that I forgot to be present in the process. I chose to create work that was not only meaningful to me, but also meaningful in creating the work itself. Taking this approach lent itself to having unplanned realizations within the process. For instance, my fiber works are made using a tufting gun. This technique is monotonous and meditative. It almost forces you inside yourself, creating an atmosphere in which you can enter autopilot. While producing these illustrative works, I looked inward and grew with them. Introspection is a large part of creating these pieces, and in a way, the process also reinforces the message of the art itself. The same is true for ceramics. My ceramic works capture a cycle of growth and blossoming. As I am building these vessels, I am nurturing them. I am helping them sprout up and bloom into what I envision.
Self-care and self-love have become a big topic amid the pandemic for many, including myself. My work not only conveys a progression of growth and self-love, but also exhibits the steps to achieve them in the process of creating the final product. Self-care and love are something that I have been trying to practice with myself more often. This exhibition also shows my experience with the journey to self-acceptance and nurturing my relationship with myself. By making these pieces and existing inside the process, I am reminded to care for myself.
