It Me.
Nerdy, queer, and a genuine Pacific Northwesterner.
CJ mostly makes figurative sculpture, but they also love fitness, playing board games, and being outdoors. CJ discovered clay after obtaining a 3D Digital Graphics BFA at the Rochester Institute of Technology and is currently pursuing an MFA at the University of Oklahoma. Their work can be found across the US and internationally.
Artist Statement
Throughout the ages, places of worship or government have been the focal point of a community. Their grandeur reflected the values and commitments of the people. They were the seat of power, representing the strength of the citizens. Just as worshipers were drawn to those cathedrals, I want viewers to be drawn to my sculptures. The monumental presence stops them, but it's the wonder in the details which rewards them for coming closer. I am chasing that fine line between overwhelming and comforting. A perfectly-heavy weighted blanket or the large presence of a protective parent to a small child.
Like the buildings that comprise our settlements, we humans require care and upkeep. We are extremely vulnerable to outside forces. We seek perfection but are hopelessly hand built. We want comfort, but we fear boredom. We spend so much time nurturing and tending to our facades, but are lonely if no one takes the time to notice what we contain.
We want to live in beautiful yet functional places that are secure but also near other people. We want privacy and floor-to-ceiling windows.
This contradiction in humans fascinates me. I want my viewers to reconsider their notions of both feminine power and feminine beauty when they engage with my work. If they see the strength that is simultaneously masculine and feminine, impressive yet relatable, delicate yet enduring, then I will have been successful.