B7- Artist Conversation - Amy Williams

Artist: Amy Williams
Exhibition: Signaling
Media: Ceramics, Mixed-Media, Installation
Gallery: LBSU School of Art, Gatov Gallery West

Amy Williams is a 3rd year BFA student at in the School of Art Ceramics Program. She is intending on graduating this year and plans on becoming a professor someday. Her work explores the idea of natural objects and environments.

Williams designed a life size 3D scan of a rock from Colorado with lichen on it. She had wires hanging from the ceiling with water dripping down onto the floor which was a clay sculpture and plaster beneath it. The wires flowed all together in a windy shape and the sculpture took the shape of a boulder. Williams used natural colors to imitate an actual rock.

The idea behind Signaling is to show the natural way things change. Through this is the symbolic message of the salt water trickling down from the pipes that lands upon the clay sculpture that results in a change in color and appearance over time. It represents how everything is constantly changing. The sculpture also represents a microscopic rock which enhances the idea of paying attentions to one's surroundings; big or small. She aims to encourage viewers towards a attentiveness of the current complexity of our culture, which leads into how our actions impact our surroundings.

When I first saw this gallery I wanted to learn more about it immediately. I tend to gravitate towards work with nature and once I read the artists statement I knew this piece really resonated with me. I thought the way to created the idea of showing how things change both within nature and society was amazing. We are truly shifting into new beings each day and sometimes we don’t even slow down to recognize the beauty within that. It is easy to think of immediacy and instant gratification, but we benefit so much more from slowing down and that is the message that Williams is getting across.