ARTIST’S STATEMENT

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My work reflects a background in art which began as a student of fashion design at Pratt Institute. That training with its exposure to pattern-making was instrumental to my understanding of the construction of three dimensional forms. However, an elective course in ceramics caused a change in the direction of my work and my career goals. I fell in love with clay! While pursuing a MFA in painting, drawing and ceramics I was immersed in the concepts of abstract expressionism and the idea of form emanating from the material and self, rather than concrete objects. This gave me the impetus and confidence to work spontaneously-without preconceived notions-always keeping the work in a state of flux. However, it also became clear that the figure and the physical and psychological space it inhabited was most interesting to me. I was fascinated by what could not be seen behind the exteriors we encounter. Travel also played and important role in the development of my work. Most notably, seeing Ghiberti’s “Gates of Paradise” was a revelation. The passion, movement and depth he created on a shallow plane inspired me to combine drawing and ceramics in the form of bas-relief. A life long love of dance, where the significance of gesture and movement and what they convey is an important element, is evident in both the narrative sculpture and functional ware. My goal is to do work that is so personally expressive that it resonates with the viewer at those elemental places we all share. Barbara Grossman Karyo Statement_files/script.pages