Ferris Shawver Graduated from Blackburn in 2020 Studio Art Major Business Administrations Minor
Artist Statement:
Why is there a fear of creating something that will be viewed as hideous? Why do people stray from showing the imperfections upon ourselves and within our creations? Monsters are often shown as hideous beings, ones that we tell frightening tales to our children, we see them in movies terrorizing the protagonist and their group, and they are within the stories we read that end with a lesson learned. Why do we use these creatures as a symbol of evil and disfigurement and why don’t we ever show them as the heroes? We create monsters that represent our own personal human psyche and the struggles we face. People judge their personal flaws and imperfections harshly, making and growing them into the monsters.. Bringing these flaws to light, we learn that if we continue to hide away our imperfections, we create a larger, more dangerous monster within ourselves. I use these monsters to represent my work for there is beauty and humility in imperfection. When we can finally see the beauty and strength with our shortcomings, the monster can be seen as a strength and coexist within us. They represent the constant state of war between good and evil within ourselves. Monsters are used to exemplify our own personal battles we face everyday. Anxiety and stress can control us, and if we do not come to terms with our own struggles, it will continue to lead over us. When you are finally able to accept the imperfections, it becomes freeing to the soul. That is what I invoke within my sculptures. Using clay to create a physical figure of these monsters helps people to fully visualize and see the imagined come into reality. Creating a form that’s solid and corporeal, these creatures have been brought to life. You can see every tear and bump within the piece, adding to the beauty of the monster. These markings have their place within the sculpture and do not take away from it, but add to the understanding of the creature.