Broken Attachments

My work investigates the comfort and dysfunction as well as the fragility and strength of familial relationships. Traditionally, a stable home has a framework. There are bedtimes, family meals, and a time for help with your homework. These are the flawless expectations that society place onto families. My work becomes a metaphorical investigation of expectations and realities of family life through the fusion of print and ceramic processes. I begin by making images using traditional printmaking techniques that explore behavior and gender roles within the family unit. On paper, these prints are protected, clean, much like the ideal family dynamic. I then challenge this idea by printing these images on paper clay, which add strength to them, much like a parent hopes to do with their children. On paper clay, they can hold up to the pressure of the slab roller and the etching press. However, the thinner the clay gets, the more fragile it becomes, just as if a child is put under intense pressure. The thinness of the clay also makes it translucent, and when backlit, the flaws in my work are no longer able to hide. The texture from the printing on the clay is like the personal qualities of the mark or “imprints” that people leave on their families. These marks are not perfect, and all of these flaws represent the unique and differences of each individual that make up a family unit. By allowing the flaws to be visible, I relinquish control and accept that even in chaos they are impeccable.