Center for Craft Creativity and Design

(12/03/09): May 1, 2009

Since i have not done any posts yet i am gong to do some retroactive posting. Had my opening for my BFA show it felt great to be done.

(12/03/09): May 1, 2009

Since i have not done any posts yet i am gong to do some retroactive posting. Had my opening for my BFA show it felt great to be done. This is a picture with my parents Kyle and Harriet and brothers Ben and Adam. Here is a copy of my statement. My Grandmother, Berneice Smith, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 1992. This Show, Surrogates- Memories of my Grandmother are three pieces based on my memories of going to her house as a child, while my grandmother was still of sound mind. These objects act as surrogates standing in place of my memories of going to my grandmothers house as a child. When translated into glass these objects become cloudy and vague, like my memories. Once cast in glass, these objects seem to dematerialize, they lose their ability to function and lose qualities like color and detail. The first piece, My Grandmothers Piano Bench, was inspired by my grandmothers love of playing the piano. As a child I was not interested in the music she was playing, I was always interested in the gift she would leave for me hidden in the piano bench. When I would get to her house the first thing I would do would be to check the bench for a piece of candy or, if I was lucky a 5 dollar bill. My grandmother would never forgot to leave me my treat. I think it brightened her day more then it did mine to see my excitement as I would find the gift. The second piece, Hat and Hatbox, represents my memories of the upstairs hall of my Grandmothers house. One entire wall of the hall was lined with hats, at least 40, one for every occasion. The third piece, Portraits of my Grandparents, was inspired by the portraits of my Grandparents, Berneice and Joseph, that hung above the fireplace. I remember looking up at those paintings as a child and thinking they were the two most important people in the world. Berneice Isabelle Kerrigan Smith 06/08/1908-09/02/2007 Joseph Barnes Smith 07/12/1904-10/30/1978


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