Date of Graduation

Spring 2024

Degree

Master of Fine Arts in Visual Studies

Department

Art and Design

Committee Chair

Colby B. Jennings

Abstract

My work is inspired by life's transient nature and objects' enduring capacity to house memories. The delicate sculptures I create combine second-hand objects with paper to capture the essence of moments and possessions that define personal histories. The objects I use represent more than their form or chemistry; they are imbued with fragments of history and memory that I am driven to preserve. In this work, the sentimental nature and purpose of my belongings hold an equal or greater value than the physical nature and purpose of those belongings. I illuminate an object’s sentimentality by combining its form with painted and drawn images, textures, photographs, and patterns to explore the appreciation of memory as it exists in the past and the present. By retelling stories of everyday experiences I am sharing the gift of hindsight as a tool for appreciating the parts of life we don’t think to miss until they are lost.

Keywords

intimacy, domesticity, memory, fragmentation, personal history

Subject Categories

Book and Paper | Fiber, Textile, and Weaving Arts | Interdisciplinary Arts and Media | Painting | Sculpture

Copyright

© Shelby Ann Theis-Lukenbill

Open Access

Share

COinS