I combine maternal feminist experiences with hand-built ceramic vessels to create functional ritual objects. Pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood transformed me. I am not just “mother" but also “artist” and “woman:” this multiplicity is intersubjectivity. I reconciled my conflicting priorities through my art with authentic testimony, memorialization, and activism. Rich red earthenware is clothed with rhythmic, radial pinch marks and stylized floral illustrations. Pottery has a strong association with the body, combining naturally with corporeal forms. My installation and performance pieces use the pot's function as a conceptual vehicle. Perhaps a little solemn reflection kneeling before Vessel of the Female Spirit or listening by Fountain will make my viewers better stewards of their selves, the mothers in their lives, and this precious planet.

Brief Artist Statement by Naomi Peterson as part of a 2021 MFA Exhibition, entitled "liminal_ties” in the Cora Stafford Gallery on the campus of the University of North Texas from April 12-22, 2021.

Artist Statement from the MFA Exhibition: "I create figurative sculptures that explore the anxieties and rituals of acceptance. These sculptures embody ambiguous, self-referential narratives that act as a resolution between myself and my anxieties. My work is primarily ceramic because clay is an extremely intuitive medium, allowing me to explore the figure from both an emotional aesthetic and an anatomical scrutiny. I am also interested in multiplicity and its visual relation to habits and rituals. Repetition can be a very calming activity, but it can cause adverse effects as well. I am interested in that fine line between compulsive and compulsory."

Artist Statement from the MFA Exhibition: "In my artwork I explore my concept of home in relation to my memories growing up in the border cities of Juarez, Chihuahua and El Paso, Texas. Being a young immigrant, the only constants in my life were my sense of home and the common landscape on both sides of the border. In order to create a connection of that time and place, I investigate materials that are symbolic to my Mexican heritage and my life in the United States through the combination of traditional handwork and digital fabrication. I utilize various materials such as clay and corn husks, unifying them through the formal elements of value, line, and shape. My work becomes abstracted to symbolize the passage of time and the way in which our memories are imperfect representations of events."

Juan Barroso's artwork depicts Mexican labor and the immigrant experience at the border. With the current political administration enforcing policies that dehumanize and force immigrants into the shadows, recognizing an immigrant’s humanity is vital. As the son of immigrant parents, he pays homage to his people and the dignity of their labor. He mixes 2- dimensional imagery, influenced by personal narratives, with 3-dimensional functional forms. Using a small watercolor brush, he paints his images with thousands of dots in a timeconsuming and labor-intensive process that becomes an act of devotion.

Artist Statement from the MFA Exhibition: "I did everything right. I counted my carbs, meal prepped, and joined the high school volleyball team (For exercise of course. Heaven forbid it be for fun). All growing up, I always assumed that things would get so much easier when I stepped into adulthood. I would be comfortable in my body. Spoiler Alert, that didn’t happen. Before this starts to sound like a Judy Blume novel, let me explain. A shot of apple cider vinegar, 13 vitamins, gluten free diet, and portion control. These are all aspects of my routine that I dread but they keep me going. The concept of routine as composition really resonated with me when I first made these dietary changes. Much like repeated elements in a composition, repeated elements in my routine are what keep me going, help me function, and make me a successful composition (or human, whatever you want to call it). So why do I get bogged down by the objects that are supposed to be helping me? As a woman who has been on some sort of diet since age 12, it was difficult to come to terms with the fact that your body …

Brief Artist Statement by Benjamin Statser as part of a 2021 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Objects of Desire” in the Paul Voertman Gallery on the campus of the University of North Texas on April 14-21, 2021.

I have a desire to make functional objects and seek self-fulfillment through strong craftsmanship. I craft ceramic objects intuitively with an emphasis on the materiality of vessels. I strive to blend expressions of the natural world and the domestic space into functional ceramic wares. My work is a collaboration of material exploration and glaze research. In my practice, I am searching for a balance of human design, nature, and beauty of material. Clay is a seductively tactile medium. I am constantly challenging myself to highlight this characteristic within the finished pieces. Each ceramic piece is full of intentionality and become a record of time. The medium displays a record of moments of impressions and interaction between maker and material. Through the lense of functional ceramics, I create work that is an intersection of maker, object and user within a domestic space.