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The audio file for this article was produced by the Ceramic Arts Network staff and not read by the author.
Ceramics Monthly: What topics are central to your work and/or research as an artist, and why?
Shelsea Dodd: My work investigates feminism and LGBTQ+ experiences through the lens of human/animal relationships, interweaving the beauty of the natural world, the poetry of the human condition, and the gravity of the sociopolitical issues inherent in our contemporary landscape.
As a figurative sculptor, my work relies heavily on narrative and symbolism. I often reimagine classic stories and myths through current events and personal experience. My animal figures act as characters, symbols, or vessels for the viewer’s own connotations. Various facets of each piece, such as composition, surface decoration, and title, provide additional context. Weaving these aesthetic and symbolic elements together creates a conceptual scaffold allowing multiple entry points for the viewer.
I employ beauty as a stepping stone to weightier matters. The world my work inhabits is a fantastical one, built upon layers of historical references and personal symbolism. I urge the viewer to investigate further and question what lies beneath this romantic veneer. By encouraging the confrontation of a degree of disquiet, I aim to facilitate a paradigm shift; I hope to sow compassion.
CM: What inspires your work in clay?
SD: Admittedly, I tend to favor an “everything but the kitchen sink” sort of approach. While my work revolves around the central themes of feminism, LGBTQ+ experiences, and human/animal relationships, I build conceptual layers into each sculpture using ornament, color, pattern, and other components. Depending on the piece, I draw inspiration from various sources: nature and landscape, mythology and religion, literature and poetry, art history and contemporary art, queer history and drag culture, and so forth.
As a medium, clay allows me technical freedom and versatility, and as a material rich in history and symbolism, it’s inspiring in and of itself. The field of contemporary ceramics is constantly evolving; I’m endlessly inspired by my fellow ceramic artists, and I’m grateful to be part of such a vibrant community of makers.
Learn more at shelseadodd.com or follow on Instagram @shelseadodd.
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