artist statement 
I am a multi-discipled artist exploring monotype printmaking with emphasis in mark making and sculptures made from cardboard, plaster, chicken wire, and burlap. The beginning of this body of work began with questioning myself to why some communities have no recycling of cardboard and essentially throwing away the recyclable material. During this process, my friends had an experience that was related to my work; however, I was not available to witness it. A raccoon became stuck in a dumpster for days until an individual was able to contain it and release it back into nature. Thinking back to the encounter they had I enjoyed hearing the experience but conflicted in the racoon’s experience. Within my work I am creating a meaningful space, dumpster, with limited materials and experimenting with how different mediums work together within the space. I am creating residents that reside in the dumpster that will interact with the space. “What if?” often goes into the thought process of creating either by process or technique and creates “What can be?” With mark making I am exploring how the mark presents itself on the page and connect it with how the mark can make one feel as well as connecting it back to nature. By looking back at nature, it gives something to ground myself as I am taking different explorations. I allow myself freedom within my art to take different pathways instead of taking one path and only that path. Art can be viewed as a serious topic and the work following, but with my work I would rather view it as playful. Playing with the work and enjoying the process is what I want to take away from it. If we play with the work, we allow ourselves to become more truthful and allow room to be free.

bio
I was born in Ste. Genevieve and grew up in rural Bloomsdale in Missouri. At Ste. Genevieve Senior High I experienced an introduction to art and earned my high school diploma in 2016. I continued my education at Mineral Area College to focus on ceramics, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, and art history, earning my Associates of Arts Degree in Spring 2019. In March of 2019, three of my works were displayed at Gallery Zeke in Steelville, Missouri. I am continuing my education at University of Missouri St. Louis with a Presidential Transfer Scholarship as well as the Kathie Winter Scholarship and currently attend, with the intention of obtaining my Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Studio Practice. My expected graduation date is Fall of 2022. I draw my inspiration from the natural world as well as describing complex emotions through abstraction. Currently I am working on sculptural works, ceramic works, and Figure Drawings. 

contact information
Instagram: byrdiebye