Jessie Kristy
Statement
The fluid nature of life ignites our desire to hold on to certain moments longer than they are destined to last. My sculptures focus on the relationships and losses that radically disrupt the landscape of our lives. While abstract, they have an anthropomorphic quality and a restrained energy that gives them life. Each piece is a quiet narration, seeking to evoke the emotion of a significant moment. Through them I explore my relationship with something I have lost, or experience something that I never had. In sharing my work I have learned that many of these experiences are universal. While our circumstances differ, the impetus to connect and feel safe is common to all. In my functional work I explore this concept by creating pots with the purpose of bringing people together. These pieces are often designed with the intent of prompting a shared experience and pausing to enjoy a moment.
Bio
Jessie Martin lives with her husband and two young children in the coastal town of Bishopville, MD where she works out of her home studio. In the years after receiving a degree in Civil Engineering from Lehigh University, Jessie discovered a deep love of clay. After the passing of her beloved grandmother who was a full time artist, Jessie vowed to stay involved in the local arts community. This led to her first course in clay at Rehoboth Art League in Rehoboth Beach, DE. Jessie's obsession with clay was immediate and within a matter of months she was working out of a studio in her home. In the following years Jessie has traveled to numerous workshops to continue her education, hand-picking the various artists from whom she would like to learn. Jessie's functional and ceramic work is deep rooted in her sense of place, home and love of family as well as the individual human relationships gained and lost in her life.