Kimberly Dean

I began this artistic journey 12 years ago, deciding to finally leave State Government (the Governor’s press office) in 1998. I initially attempted painting until I met potter Polly Sherrill and took a throwing class. I have now worked with clay for the last 9 years, beginning with functional pottery, then Raku (which I loved) and figurative with mixed media. My focus over the past seven years has been figurative although avoiding the traditional.

My work now combines clay and mixed media using recycled and old materials. Each piece is hand-built, using coil and slab techniques. I typically use a cold-finish post-firing, using a variety of mediums such as acrylic paints, collage and beeswax.

My art is my journal. It is typically narrative, telling about experiences and things that surround me in day-to-day life. My pieces often attempt to take even the most somber aspects of the human condition and find a peaceful and sometimes humorous way to perceive it. I attempt to communicate a story or emotion using various imagery, often bits and pieces of the past. Although these items may have a specific meaning to me, I hope my work is supple enough so others can identify with it and find their own interpretations.

My current work focuses on the worlds of emotion beneath the surface; the way our thoughts and moods move and settle throughout the day, going from past to present to future, dreams and fears, confidence to insecurity, the way one day's circumstance can be viewed as both blessing and burden. I have attempted to take this interplay between body and spirit to create a visual awkward moment, leaving open-ended statements for the viewer to finish for themselves.