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Artist Statement

Art has been an obsession of mine since I was a little girl. It represents a part of me that I have a hard time placing into words therefore I create. It is intuitive and reactionary process. Often I have a loose image of what I want to create, but allow for freedom to respond to materials and form in the production of the work. I use human beings, flora and fauna because it is a direct way to illustrate emotions. I use clay because it is a direct way to work with form, volume and surface.

My new body of work features clusters of animals and flowers constructed of porcelain with minimal glaze and underglaze application. In these works, the animal heads are bursting forth from a heavy cluster of flowers, as though they are escaping from the thicket. With each piece created in the series, the flower clusters become more heavy and ornate, usurping the prominence of the animal heads. The contrast between the chaotic consumption and preciousness of the material helps with the conceptual concept I am trying to convey. I view the work as a metaphor for the way that humans are consumed by the paradigms we create, as well as the idea that it is inevitable that nature will reclaim all.

The use of porcelain is a key property of my work because it has such a pristine quality- dainty and delicate. The scene of preciousness is achieved by sanding the surface of porcelain and the minimalistic glazing. This lends a sacred and ghostly quality to the work, and I choose not to use heavy glazes and leave portions of the raw clay visible because of this. The limited color palette lends itself to accentuating the details and depth of the piece, whereas an overly colorful palette tends to distract from those intricacies.

Curriculum Vitae

Education:

2008 - 2011: Ceramics Graduate Program, MFA, University of Georgia

2006 - 2008: Post Baccalaureate Studies, University of South Florida

2002 - 2006: BFA Sculpture, Southern Methodist University

Scholarships/Awards:

2014: Kiln God Scholarship for Watershed Residency

2012: Honorable Mention Award at Gainesville Fine Arts Association 2012 Florida Artist Exhibition

2011: Second Place at Ybor Arts in the Parks

2011: Honors Award GPA in top 5% of graduating class

2011: Visiting Artist Lecture Series, Georgia College

2011: Outstanding Teacher Assistant Award

2010: “Best In Show” Florida West Arts, Florida

2010: The Del Martin Di Amici Cortona Scholarship, Italy

2010: Athens Clark County Parks and Leisure Grant, Georgia

2009: Tuition Waiver, UGA Study Abroad Program, Costa Rica

2008 - 2011: Graduate Assistant for UGA Ceramics Dept. Athens, Georgia

2002 - 2006: Hilltop Academics Scholarship, SMU, Dallas, Texas

2006: Tuition Waiver, International Workshop in Tokoname, Japan

2006: Craft Guild Scholarship for Workshop with Judith Soloman, Dallas, Texas

Current Employment:

2015 - Present: Adjunct professor in ceramics, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama

2014 - 2015: Adjunct Instructor in Ceramics, Sarasota County Technical Institute, Sarasota, Florida

2012 - 2015: Adjunct Instructor in Ceramics, State College of Florida, Bradenton, Florida

2011 - 2012: Lab Technician and Studio Assistant for State College of Florida, Bradenton, Florida

Teaching:

2014 - 2015: Ceramics Instructor of Art Workshops at IMG, Bradenton, Florida

2012 - 2013: Ceramics Instructor at Girls Inc., Sarasota FL

2009 - 2011: Graduate Staff for UGA Ceramics Dept., Athens, Georgia

2006 - 2007: Ceramics Teacher for City of Tampa, Parks and Recreation Dept., Florida

Teaching Assistant Positions:

2013: Kelly Garrett Rathbone, Santa Fe Clay Workshop, New Mexico

2010: Bob Chance, UGA Cortona Summer Program; Italy

2009: Sunkoo Yuh, Santa Fe Clay Workshop; New Mexico

2009: Mary Engel, UGA Costa Rica Summer Program; Costa Rica

2009: Lauren Gallaspy, UGA Spring Semester; Georgia

2007: John Byrd, Santa Fe Clay Workshop; New Mexico

2006: Margaret Meehan, SMU Spring Semester, Dallas, Texas

Studio Assistant Positions:

2008 - 2010: Mary Engel, Professional Ceramic and Mixed Media Artist; Athens, Georgia

2008: Lisa Clague, Professional Ceramic and Mixed Media Artist; Bakersfield, North Carolina

2006 - 2008: GraphicStudio, Institute of Research in Art at USF, Tampa, Florida

Art Originations:

2012 - 2015: SCF Director of Ceramic Holiday Sales, Bradenton, Florida

2010 - 2011: Ceramic Representative for Lamar Dodd School of Art Student Advisory Board, Athens, Georgia

2009 - 2010: President of UGA Ceramic Student Origination, Athens, Georgia

2006 - 2008: Vice President of USF Lil Muddies Ceramic Origination, Tampa, Florida

2005 - 2006: Participant in creation of tableware for the TEI TEI Project, Dallas, Texas

Solo Shows:

2014: Porcelain Clusters and Chains, Boabab Tree Gallery; Bradenton, Florida

2014: Taylor Robenalt’s Work, The Loft; Lakeland, Florida

2013: Intuitive Forms, Boabab Tree Gallery; Bradenton, Florida

2012: There Are Two Sides to Everything, Art Center of Sarasota; Sarasota, Florida

2011: Ceramic and Mixed Media Sculptures, Florida West Arts Gallery; Florida

2011: Work By Taylor Robenalt, Jack’s Gathering, Athens, Georgia

2010: Auras, Bridge Gallery; Georgia

2009: The Perspective of a Deer Spirit, Bridge Gallery; Athens, Georgia

2008: The Leg Business, The Last American Burlesque Queens, Centre Gallery; Tampa, Florida

2007: Mono No Aware, Centre Gallery; Tampa, Florida

Juried Shows:

2014: Gaspirilla Art Festival, Tampa; Florida

2012: Coconut Point Art Festival, Estero; Florida

2012: CraftArt, St. Petersburg; Florida

2012: 24th St. Armand’s Circle Art Festival, Lido Beach, Florida

2012: South Miami Art Festival, Miami, Florida

2012: Hyde Park Art Show, Tampa, Florida

2012: Winter Springs Festival of the Arts, Orlando; Florida

2012: Art in the Gardens, West Palm Beach; Florida

2012: GFAA 2012 Florida Artist Juried Exhibition, Paddiwhack Gallery; Florida

2011: Ybor Arts in the Park, Ybor Art Center in Tampa; Florida

2011: Small Works, Towles Court; Sarasota, Florida

2011: GFAA2011 Florida Artists Juried Exhibition, Paddiwhack Gallery; Florida

2011: 25th International Juried Show, Eisenberg Gallery; New Jersey

2010: National Juried Exhibition, West Gallery; Florida

Group Shows:

2014: 5X5, Tampa Museum of Art, Florida

2013: Grand Gallerie 17, Sarasota, Florida

2012: Fusion Dance and Art Collaboration; Sarasota, Florida

2011: MFA Graduate Show, Lamar Dodd School; Athens, Georgia

2011: Cortona Show, Plaza Gallery; Athens, Georgia

2010: Mostra, Palazoo Vagnotti; Italy

2010: Partials, Art X Gallery; Athens, Georgia

2010: Street Show 2010/Art Walk, Store Fronts; Athens, Georgia

2009: Art and Culture Exhibition, Plaza Gallery; Athens, Georgia

2009: Common Thread, Rosewell Art Center Main Gallery; Athens, Georgia

2009: Annual Ceramic Graduate Show, Bridge Gallery; Athens, Georgia

2008: Ceramics and Sculpture Show, Athens Academy’s Myers Gallery; Athens, Georgia

2008: First Year MFA Show, Broad St. Gallery; Athens, Georgia

2007: Exploring Spaces, Oliver Gallery, Tampa, Florida

2006: IWCAT Exhibition Show, Tokoname Gallery; Japan

Gallery Representation:

2014 - Present: Coastal Eddy Gallery, Laguna Beach, California

2013 - Present: Gallerie 17, Sarasota, Florida

2011 - Present: A Little Room For Art, Pass-A-Grille, Florida

2011 - Present: Deco Studio One, St. Pete Beach; Florida

2011 - Present: Baobab Tree Gallery, Bradenton; Florida

2011 - Present: Melage Gallery, Venice; Florida

Publications:

2014: 500 Figures, Larks Books, February 2014, p 102.

2011: Ceramics Monthly, “mfa factor” February 2011, p.54-55.

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