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Browsing by Author "Francis, Falan, artist"

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    Falan Francis: capstone
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2023) Francis, Falan, artist
    The artist's statement: Clay is my primary medium. It is both a tool to practice self-reflection and a tactile material from the earth. I ground myself when I use this tangible substance and become more connected with myself. Clay senses what the maker feels and reacts accordingly, it's a reflection of your state of mind. I focus on using clay to dissect and mend inner wounds by allowing my personal narrative to fuel the work. My work ranges from sculptural to functional ceramic pieces. The forms I make are an attempt to materialize the emotions I don't want to carry internally anymore. The process is intuitive and driven by experience and emotion. These experiences are a guide for form and surface design ideas. The stars speak to ideas of courage and independence, as well as the opportunities for growth that come from adversity. The child-like imagery and soft color palette are meant to instill feelings of nostalgia and longing in the viewer. I'm inspired by artists like Sonya Clark who uses her work to discuss issues related to identity and is inspired by lived experiences as a woman of color. Soojin Choi's work is also inspiring in how she works to visually represent complicated emotions in clay. Capturing complexity in feeling is an important aspect in this body of work. In my recent body of work, 'Feels like Home', I'm questioning home as a universal concept whose definition varies greatly from person to person. The crafting of a variety of functional ceramic wares; cups, bowls and plates, explores feelings of loneliness, comfort, and contentment. The large sculptures are the embodiment of emotional isolation and yearning. They work as vessels for the storage of pieces of ourselves, and our souls. By storing these complex experiences and emotions in clay, we create space to allow for conversation about what hurts us, where it came from, and how to heal. Making this space lets me create vessels that transform the heaviness into something beautiful. These are vessels for my younger self to store her feelings and have space to be a kid.