Teacher Name: Ryan Durling
Grade: 12

Artist Statement: Although my family has immigrated to the United States from Mexico. I have never been to the origins of my parents’ childhood. I only can work with the imitation of simple objects through my family who still live in Mexico. From traditional candy to Alebrijes that they sent us, I can only embrace the objects and traditions I can visually see. My mother’s memory isn’t as great as before but with her vivid experience, she brings all those traditions to our household.
In some way, I conclude that with my artwork. My mother has been both a mother and father to me and the moral inspiration for my artwork. As her daughter, I want to include those colorful traditions she never had as a young adult. Her love of blue and green reflects the shade variations I have on my pieces.
Ever since I was available to attend Marwen in 2017, here in downtown Chicago, “a nonprofit organization that provides free art education to Chicago students from underserved neighborhoods and schools” I was allowed to express myself with various studies in the art world. Such as film photography, oil painting, and ceramics. My dedication as of right now is to the arts and crafts of the ceramic world. I love the feel of clay under my fingernails and the feel of a hot open kiln.
That feeling of completing my piece throughout the course gives me motivation to continue on to the next and if I want to continue that feeling I must continue that tradition, vivid experiences, and memories into the artwork I further make.

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