About the ArtistStephanie graduated in 2008 from the University of Kansas with her MFA in Sculpture and preceded this study by attending the University of Northern Iowa for her BFA in Painting & Photography. Regardless of the medium used, she has a strong interest in organic forms derived from an imaginative interpretation of nature. Her attention is currently focused on seed pods and other natural forms, so small in size and easily forgotten in the dirt, but are a fundamental step for beginning life. Growing up on a small farm in Iowa greatly influenced her interest in these forms. Watching life grow from something the size of a speck was fascinating and humbling.
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Artist Statement for Gallery Work |
As humans, we constantly create,
destroy, and reinvent ourselves. These influential
experiences transform us into completely new creatures. My sculptures serve as visual metaphors for
this psychological process, physical manifestations of my emotional mind. Distorted human figures, altered natural
forms, and imagined creatures serve as subjects to express these emotions and
experiences. Each piece becomes a
surrealistic story, inspired by reality but recombined in peculiar ways.
My preferred way to explore these stories is through poetic, visual language. By combining unexpected materials together, I simultaneously create work that is beautiful but echoes the strangeness of being alive. This relationship is further accentuated by the tactile difference between materials, such as manipulated body parts made with fleshy rubber opposing the abstracted, delicate metal. This dance between materials creates a perplexing dialog between the weight of reality and playfulness of imagination. |
Teaching Philosophy
sailer_teaching_philosophy_final.pdf | |
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