This piece was my way to connect to people with similar experiences in a shared creative process. I chose women as the group I wanted to focus on because I believe many women undergo similar experiences. 

The clay masks are made by taking casts of faces of women that I know personally. The women I chose are diverse in identities but share an experience of trauma. Since the almost perfect replicas of their faces are made out of unfired clay, and placed in miniature ecosystems, over time natural processes wear and break them down. From that, they lose detail yet, as seeds begin to sprout life emerges bringing color and beauty. Plants sustain, bring oxygen, food, and have life-saving properties. They are diverse, they have different life cycles, protective mechanisms to help them thrive in an ever-changing world. I equated this to women's ability to prevail in the face of adversity. From these points of deterioration, we see sprouts and moss growing, bringing color to this gray and muted form. With a closer look, you can see the root structures knitting together to strengthen its integrity. My intentions are that this physical growth on the forms acts as a method of reclamation while also showing a sense of lasting strength under pressure. While we see the sculptures may break apart they are still recognizable and in these areas of damage, we see new growth and beauty.